


Shingeki no Kyojin: Sands of Time

by desertbloom



Series: Shingeki no Kyojin: Desert Bloom [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Canon Universe, Conspiracy Theories, Gen, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2018-12-12 22:48:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 32,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11746791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desertbloom/pseuds/desertbloom
Summary: “You’re prolonging this unnecessarily.”All of a sudden, the keen coldness of metal against her neck drew her to a halt. When-! They came up behind her, pressing the teeth of a sword to the side of her throat.“Cool it-I don’t think you’d even try bite a blade now, would you?”Levi watched as she turned slowly, his sword nicking her skin, tracing a thin, beaded line of scarlet. Still, he wasn’t entirely sure. Suddenly he hissed."Now!"---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Starting in a time before the era of the events in Attack on Titan followed by a shift to the present; the two worlds are entwined in ways unimaginable. Centred around a young woman, Nina Were, the story follows the folly of humanity through the eyes of a girl who is thrown into an extraordinary journey, forced to reconcile herself with the remnants of her past life and look to an uncertain and strange future.





	1. Fissure

 

**The year 850: The Battle of Trost**

_In the wake of the terror wreaked five years ago, the colossal titan returns and attacks humanity once again._

 

Horrified, the boy gazed at the gruesome face looming closer towards him. A whimper escaped his mouth as the huge hands he was enclosed in began to crush his chest. “No…no…” His eyes darted wildly, taking in the dismembered corpses littered on the ground. The whole of the Eastern division, massacred. _Everyone…_

There was another titan near to the one that had gotten him. A girl dangled from its grasp and it looked up at her, as if she was a decorative ornament. _Hedda…_ “Hedda!” The boy began to struggle, trying to twist himself out of the iron grasp. Her eyes were closed…she had fainted. “HEDDA!” Dripping jaws engulfed his field of vision, the heat scorching his face.

“HE-!”

In a violent explosion, the head and shoulders of the titan holding him disappeared, blown to pieces. The boy felt himself plummet, body limp in shock. As he fell, something shot up above him. He frantically let off gas and soared up just in time to see it smash down in the middle of the square they were in, splintering the cobbles.

 _What…? What…a rock? No…_ It was shining, amber-orange, like there was fire trapped inside. _What the hell…_ He snapped as if from a dream and turned frantically. “Hedda!” The titan that had been about to devour Hedda was sprawled on the ground, knocked away by the impact. It began to crawl back to her senseless body, grinning. “No!” He rushed towards it, heart hammering. Even then, he knew… _What good will this do…? We’re both going to die here…like everyone else._ The tremors of more titans thundered behind him. _Dammit…! But no one could say…he hadn’t tried…_

_Listen to me, children. Each of you is all the other has when you go out into the world-it is not a kind place, remember that…make sure…your father rests easy in his grave._

He gritted his teeth, drawing his remaining blade. _No one could say-_

Before he could take another step, the titan before him split into two with another ear-splitting crash, its body rent in half by a huge amber shard. His jaw dropped and he stumbled to a stop.

_What._

He looked back and fell to his knees near Hedda. The crystal had divided and opened, completely shattered. Around it were the bodies of around five titans, all pierced and ripped by its fragments. _That thing…killed all the titans?_ His throat became dry. _Or at least rendered them immobile..._ He propped Hedda up, shaking her, his own hands tremoring. “Hedda!” Her head had been cut, dark brown fringe caked in blood.

Her eyes flickered open. “P-Penn…?” They became wide and terrified as she gripped him. “Penn!”

“It’s alright, they’re gone…for now. That thing…smashed through all of them- let’s get out of here!” He sat her up but she looked past him.

“Wait!” She gasped, hands flying to her mouth. “There’s something there…a person!”

“What!?” He turned in disbelief.

A figure was slowly rising out of the smoking, jagged remains. It staggered out. _A human!?_   Hedda struggled up, stumbling towards it. He rushed after her.

“Wait! We don’t-”

The figure moved towards them, the steam clearing and curling away. They were stooped, barely upright, face obscured. After a few more juddering steps they collapsed, falling face first onto the ground, a few metres away from them.

Hedda stopped and he stood by her, both of them gazing down at the person in shock. She knelt near the prostrate figure, a dazed expression on her face. Her hand went out falteringly and she touched the person’s ragged white head then turned them over. “Who…?” She drew back sharply, clutching her head. “What’s going on?” She looked up at him, looked at the disabled titans around them.

“I don’t know...” He was still staring down at the girl on the floor…at least she looked like a girl. She was so strange. Her clothes, her skin…what was that huge thing on her back?

He grimaced, his stomach churning. Today had been a cascade of horror and chaos, the worst day of his life…The colossal titan, the fall of wall Rose…their whole division gone. He’d almost been eaten and now this…? His eyes moved to the remnants of that… _thing._ It had come out of the titan? And she had come out of _it_? The faint, distant tremor of giant footsteps became audible. Penn gripped Hedda’s shoulder. “We have to go.” Her eyes stretched wide.

“We’re going to leave her?”

He looked at her surprised- _she didn’t really-?_ He faltered. “We have to-”

“Penn?” Her blue eyes looked up at him confused, disbelieving and he turned away. The footsteps grew louder.

“Hedda! We can’t stay here! We have to get over the wall!”

“I’m not leaving her.” She whispered. Her face was pale and she shook slightly. “We can’t…she’s human…she’ll be-” His brow crunched. A human? She’d come out of that thing…out of a titan… _Oh God_... He growled and wrenched the girl up, throwing her onto his back. “Come on!” Hedda looked at him dazed for a second then scrambled up.

“R-right.”

“Your gear?”

“It’s fine…”

“Give me a blade will you?” She bit her lip as she slotted one into each of his scabbards- she had a full set. _Not even able to draw one…_

The heads of three titans became visible in the distance, approaching the square. He hitched the girl higher up on his back. The edge of the town wasn’t far. They’d make it as long as they didn’t encounter anymore…He swallowed.  He wasn’t even meant to ever see a titan…both him and Hedda. Their mother had told them… _Get on the inside…where you’ll be safe…do whatever it takes…_ He knew now how stupid, how futile that was. These walls…meant nothing.

“Penn…?”

“Let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	2. Era

                                                               

 

Penn grasped at the arms above him and felt himself heaved up onto the wall. Hedda landed near him. The titans hadn’t advanced to the very edges of the town yet. He and Hedda had shot up just as they completely filled it. They’d made it…he felt a lump rise in his throat and he fell forward onto his hands. _We made it out…we’re ali-_

“What’s that on your back, son?”

The garrison soldier looked down at him perplexed, expectant.

Penn swallowed. They’d used both their jackets to secure her onto his back. “I don’t know…she came out of a huge thing…”

“Eh?”

“A rock or something-it came out of a titan…”

The soldier frowned. “I think you’ve got a head injury worse than this here young lady.”

Penn looked at Hedda. Her cut was bleeding again. The soldier nudged at the girl on his back then his eyes widened. “Who’s she?!” He almost shouted. Other milling soldiers looked round. He cleared his throat- _what the blazes…?_ He hadn’t been trained for this. “What’s your name?”

“Penn Klein. Eastern division of the hundred and fourth trainee corps."

"And you?”

Hedda touched her head. “Hedda Klein. Same as him.”

“Right. This will go down in the reports-I don’t know about all this talk of a rock but you’re both witnesses, right?”

They nodded numbly. He stared at them for a minute, scratching his neck.

“Get her down in with the others who made it over-she’s not looking that great. And see that your sister’s attended to-there’s a mobile bay that’s been set up.” He turned away, still rubbing his neck. He didn’t want to, didn’t have time to think about that…girl?

They saluted. “Sir!”

 

Penn grunted as he jumped down. Getting down a rope ladder wasn't particularly easy in itself and it was downright dangerous when carrying someone. 

He saw a stretcher being carried into a house. It had been converted into a sick bay. Two male trainees came out as he moved towards it. They frowned at the load on his back.

“Who’s that?”

He stumbled forward. The girl suddenly felt like a dead-weight. “I don’t know. She came out of a giant rock…” He shook his head…He’d never come to terms with it-never.

“What?!”

He coughed. “A rock, a crystal…I don’t know! I don’t know who the hell she is! She saved us though-that thing…it took out all the titans…” They looked at him as if he was a madman. He scowled, frustrated. “Look, take her already-my orders were to bring her here. And Hedda, my sister-”

“This is the resting ward-everyone here’s been attended to-take her to the mobile bay for the cut.” The taller boy looked at him, then at the girl on his back, then back at him. The other simply gawped, completely speechless.

“Alright. You’re dealing with this from now on.” Penn turned, heaving the girl into their faltering arms. “Hedda?’

He looked back at his sister. Her eyes were hollow, face blanched paper-white. “Hedda-”

She clutched her head. “If-if she hadn’t come…I was going to-I was going to-” She crouched down, whimpering quietly. “Penn…Penn, I can’t…”

“Hedda!” He dropped down next to her. “Get a hold of yourself!”

“Everyone…Ada, Dell, Magda, Meino…they’re all…” She covered her mouth. “They’re all…”

 He closed his eyes, his hands moving to his head. “Hedda, look…”

 “You too, Penn…you almost…how-how are you still talking…as if-”

“That’s what we do!” He grabbed her by the shoulders. “We’re soldiers, Hedda! This is what we signed up for.” _No it wasn’t…no it wasn’t. The military police? Hah…_ He shook her a little. “Deal with it! Come on…you’re head…” She fell silent, letting him pull her up and steer her away.

She wasn’t wrong-his hands still shook and his knees seemed to buckle with every step. But what could they do…? That girl, that rock…was nothing short of a miracle-who…who was she?

 

The cloth she lay on was scratchy under her fingers and something soft had been bunched under her neck. She opened her eyes then almost shut them again-even the gloom of wherever she was seemed too bright. She squinted, propping herself up onto her elbows then started at the confused, almost fearful faces surrounding her. She blinked then sat bolt upright, knocking off the jackets she was covered in. Her hands shot out grabbing the face of the girl nearest to her. “White!?” The girl’s mouth fell open and she let go sharply. “Your whi-where’s this-am I in Europa?” She looked at them with frantic eyes. Their bewildered expressions intensified.

“What’s she saying?”

“I don’t know-something’s white?”

She drew back, horribly disorientated. _They don’t understand…what I’m saying. I don’t understand what they’re saying…not fully._ She gripped her head. _What’s…going on?_ Their voices rose and hummed around her. She was sure they were speaking some Germanic language but it was hardly anything like the one her father had taught her…She stared at them wildly, her hands curling around her knees.

She had to speak to them… _now_. She had to find out where she was-what the hell was going on. Invisible ropes began to tighten around her neck and she felt as if she was being strangled. _I have to…._ They moved over her face, her eyes…no...they weren’t ropes…they were spidery, branching, like webs. She gasped and tried to pull them away but they disappeared before she could move her hands. Her mouth felt parched, like a desert…

“Where the hell am I?”

They were silent, stunned for a second. _She can speak…like us?_ A boy faltered forward. “We’re just outside the Trost district…” They looked at him like he was a fool. What would that mean to her?

She shook her head impatiently. “I don’t know what…” _Dad…_ “Is there anyone else…anyone who-?”

“There are no more people, we’re the last ones.” Another boy smiled grimly “And soon we’ll be gone too.”

“Shut up Orlin, we’ve made it over haven’t we…?”

“Huh…they’ll just break this one down as well…”

Nina felt confusion churn through stomach _. What are they going on about…?_ “My father? Is he here?”

“Sorry we don’t-”

“Maxim. His name is Maxim Were-he must be here too, if I am.” Y _ou don’t know that…you don’t-_ Her neck twitched violently.

Another two boys entered the room.

“That’s her-the one who came out that thing.”

“Yeah, what did they say? A massive rock.”

_What-what rock?_

“Were? I’ve heard of him…some man… he was like her actually-”

“He was real?”

“That’s just from war tales.”

“Beats me…but he was different, like her…he wasn’t like the people here.”

“But didn’t they say he was-?”

Her eyes widened. “Yes! That’s him! Where is he-?”

“-didn’t he get eaten?”

_Huh._

“That’s what the stories say…”

“He’s gone anyway.”

_What._

“But that was around the year 835…ages ago…”

They looked at her confused, disbelieving.

“Listen, your father’s not here now.” The girl near her took her hand. “What’s your name?”

She snatched it away. “What do you mean eaten? By what-” She glared at them. “That better have been some sick joke.” They drew back slightly.

“We don’t…”

Her eyes began to wander and she suddenly registered her surroundings. She looked at the walls, the table, the shutters and her confusion became overwhelming. “Woah…hold up.” She rose to her feet and made for the door.

“Hey wait!”

Flinging it open, she stepped out, stumbling slightly then stopped short. Her eyes stretched wide and she stared around her, the blood draining from her face.

“W-what…” The stone cobbles were hard under her shoes. It was like something out of a book…an _old_ book, ancient…one that shouldn’t even have been in the vaults… Cobbled roads, wood-framed houses, wrought-iron lamps. She slumped against the door frame for a second then fumbled at her belt, her fingers spasming. _Come on, come on_. She pulled out her timepiece and the dull, green figures stabbed her in the eyes.

 

**2 1 8 0**

 

 _Doubling demi-years….subtract one hundred and seventeen years since awakening…_ Her mind feebly did the maths. _Two thousand and sixty three...it's been...what...happened...two thousand and sixty three years?_ She sank to the ground.

_Then why the hell does it look like this?_

They huddled behind her. The girl from before put a hand on her shoulder. “You should come back inside.” She shook her off, staggering to her feet.

“No.” Her eyes were glazed. “I can’t stay here…there has to be some mistake, I-”

A sudden boom ripped through the air. She saw smoke rising a little way off, in front of a huge wall. She felt herself take a step forward, then she began to run.

“Hey!”

“Wait!”

But no one came after her. She broke into a full sprint. They said she’d come out of a rock…a big rock…a sound like that could be… _dad?_   She didn’t care what they’d said…they didn’t know what they’re talking about…or it could be someone else…someone from the base…who had survived…

She weaved through the narrow, twisting streets then stopped at an opening. It seemed she’d come to the edge of the settlement. A group of men curved in front of her, backs turned, rifles raised and pointed at a huge cloud of steam and smoke. She squinted, moving forward then froze as the haze cleared from the top.

 _What…a titan…?_ She saw the head, the curve of its neck. Her hands instinctively reached for the hilt of her sword. _Idiots! What will those firearms do against a titan?_ She found herself pushing through the circle of soldiers.

“Wha-!”

“Oi!”

“Who-!?”

“Who are you?!” A man with a shaggy beard almost screamed at her. She turned, now beyond them, almost upon the billowing cloud surrounding the titan. “Move! Or we’ll treat you as the enemy!”

She looked at him for a second, faintly irritated. _Stop…stop yelling…_ Her hand moved to her head.

_Why isn’t it trying to eat them…?_

His eyes met hers as she heard the cock of a trigger.

“Leave her!” _He’s the leader…?_

“Sir!”

“She’s not important right now!”

She continued, making her way towards the emerging titan _…Wait!_ She almost tripped. _It’s just a rib-cage…and an arm…where’s its skin…where’s the rest…?_ The blood pounded in her ears as she moved into the cloud of steam, the formation disappearing behind her. The air was warm. With a muffled snapping sound, something ripped out of the creature’s nape. It clambered down and with a jolt she realised it was- “A human?”

“Armin! Mikasa!” The boy jumped to the ground and she realised with a faint surprise that there were two figures hunched, a little way off from her inside the cave-like rows of bone. They looked at her for a second, wary and astonished then turned to the boy. “Eren!”

They ignored her as she went past them towards and into the huge, grotesque figure. Her hands touched the hot sinews and she squeezed dazedly. _What…_ She looked back at the trio. They were huddled, speaking lowly.

 _That boy…was inside this thing…how…_ She bent and inhaled, her nails digging into the flesh _…what is this…why was he…?_ It didn’t seem to be alive…She turned back wildly to where the boy was. She wanted to drag him up and shake him, make him tell her what he was doing in there…

_Wait…wait…_

This was a titan. There was a titan here. She gazed up at the thing, its single eye seeming to look straight back at her. _The base…_ suddenly, she felt unbearably ill _…the base…two thousand years…_ But titans aren’t meant to be here-this wasn’t the Alpha continent, she was sure _…_ it was so cold… _so cold…_ She began to shiver violently, despite the warmth surrounding her, and moved out of the steam, away from the half-titan.

Her hands found hard stone and she looked up, lost… _this wall_. Something made her snatch her hand away. A ladder of rope caught her eye and she moved towards it, almost as if against her will. Grasping the twisted rungs, she swung up and began to climb. She felt as if something was pulling her up, an awful foreboding beginning to course through her veins. Her elbows met the wall’s ledge and, heaving herself forward, she scrambled up. Then immediately fell to her knees. Before her were buildings, a town…absolutely seething with titans. Horror beat at her temples, her chest and she felt her throat close up.

 _They’re here…they’re here…_ Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. _They’re so many…_

“Nothing has changed…” She heard herself whisper, “Two thousand years…even after two thousand bloody years…” Her head began to spin uncontrollably and she fell forward onto her hands. All she could think was _their skin…is pale…it’s white…why…why...adaptation…? They evolved? In two thousand years…?_ Her fingers clawed at her hair and her breath started to come in uneven snatches. The sandy stone of the wall’s surface suddenly darkened and she was engulfed in a velvety blackness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	3. Remnants

                                                         

 

“Well, if it isn’t Were’s girl…Nina, right?”

She looked up, wincing slightly. Her neck ached-she had fallen into a hunched, sitting position. Rubbing it, she scowled at the man standing over her then froze, eyes widening in shock as she registered his words.

“You know my dad.” She said dumbly.

“Ah…you know, your father couldn’t hold down a drink to save his life…” He seemed to be looking somewhere ahead. “Other than that he was a good man, strong…but damn he’d be out like a light after half a pint...” His eyes suddenly sharpened and snapped back to meet hers. “I am Dot Pixis by the way, at your service.”

She stared at him.  _This man…_ Her vision began to blur. “What…where is he now?” There was a futile hope in her voice but she felt with a rising despair that she already knew…by now…those kids, the way this man was speaking…

“He’s no longer with us.” Pixis looked down at her. “He said you’d be coming but didn’t know when. Worst luck…” He absently scratched his shining head. “…to come at a time like this."

Her head began to spin again, the ground between her knees whirling. “Damn, right.” Her voice was weary, faraway.  _What the hell is going on…what the-_

“Who’s that?” Someone whispered.

She looked up again and saw he had three others in tow. Her eyes fell on the dark haired boy-the one they’d been pointing their guns at.  _The one that had come out of the titan_. They gazed at her wondering, questioning. Dad...

_'Didn’t he get eaten?'_

_By a titan…? What else, idiot…idiot....here…_ The town teaming with the monsters seared through her mind

Her voice shook. “What about the rest…the rest of the people-is this Europa?”

Pixis looked at her, frowning. “Europa? What is that…?”

Her fingers dug into her knees. “It has to be! I-what about the Orient and the Islands, the Latines-do they all have titans too…? I need a map-can you give me a map?” She began to shake violently. The man looked absolutely bewildered. He reached into his coat.

“Here-I don’t know if this will help you but-”

She snatched the scroll from him. It contained a diagram in black and scarlet ink-three concentric circles, letters and nothing else. “Where’s the rest?” She said flatly “Where’s the Alpha-continent, where’s-”

“My dear, what you’re looking at is what remains of all human territory on this earth.”

His words hurtled around in her head like boulders.  _Remains….remains…_ That meant they had taken everyone-everybody had been eaten…the base…had just been the beginning…

“Don’t screw with me, old man.” She hurled the scroll back at him. “If this is some twisted game-”

“It’s no game.” His face was blank. “We are all that remains of the human race-this is what we have left.” He held up the scroll. “The rest of the world is no longer our domain.”

_What are you telling me…? The whole world…is overrun with titans…?_

“No! That’s wrong!”

The dark-haired boy had come forward, his fists clenched. “The world doesn’t belong to titans.” He fell back a little. “Err-that is to say, sir-we have to take it back from them. The earth…belongs to the humans.” His eyes pulsed a deep green. She looked away from them.  _They’re too bright…_

Pixis put his hands behind his back. “Well, my boy! For now let’s try and see if we can even take back Trost.”

The boy nodded and looked down at her. “You-you’re from outside the walls? How come-?”

“She’s from another time.” Pixis reached for a hip flask. 

“Huh-what? What do you mean-?” The boy raked through his hair confused. Dot Pixis was known for his unwavering composure in any situation but this…the commander was being ridiculously lax, not to mention slightly deranged... “That’s not possible…”

Her brow twitched with irritation, fatigue. “Look kid. Somehow, I’m not in the mood for yapping.”

He started. “Hey…I was just-” She glowered. The girl with them put a hand on his shoulder.

“Eren, leave her…” Her dark eyes met hers for a second then she looked away.

“But-”

“Listen…” Nina's lids lowered. “I’m already stuck in this doomed place-I don’t need to be grilled. Especially, by a brat.” She snarled.

For a moment he was stunned then his face became angry. “We’re not doomed.” His brow crunched. “It’s not over-we haven’t failed…we’re still fighting.”

“That’s great.” She murmured, huddling into herself. Pixis sneezed loudly then began to walk away.

“Commander?”

“I need to get my hands on a handkerchief…can’t for the life of me remember where mine got to…”

“Eren, let’s go-the commander…” She raised her head fractionally.  _They're going...Good_. The shorter boy was leading Eren away. He looked back at her through a thick hatch of blonde hair then turned quickly from her scowl.  Then he looked back again, eyes wide, as if he could barely tear himself away.  _He’s leaving her there…?_

Turning away from him, she let her head fall on her knees. She felt so tired…so tired…Her sword was suddenly a crushing weight on her back… _This is all I’ve got left…this and the clothes on my back…and…_ Ghostly ashes and embers scratched in her throat. And her father’s case…c _ase…? The case…the case!_  She felt a weak jolt pass through her. She needed to get her dad’s case-she needed to-

A huge yawn billowed out of her throat. She couldn’t…keep her eyes open. Tiny, bright spots began to cloud her vision and her lids felt as if they were made of lead. Her brow strained as she tried to keep them open and she found her shoulders sagging. Finally they slammed down, returning her into the arms of darkness once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	4. Stone

                                                          

 

“Hey…! Oi!”

She felt someone nudge her shoulder. “Hey-! Who are you-?” He drew back sharply as she turned. “Huh…uh-um you can’t be here right now-all civilians have been made to evacuate-”

“I’m not a civilian.” She staggered up. “I’m not part of this shit-hole.”

Her temples thundered. She needed to get her father’s case. _Why-what are you even going to do with it…?_ _No._ She had to-it was the only thing left of him…of her world…this-this wasn’t her world. The soldier could only stare at her, mouth open. The operation to take back Trost was well underway-he was due to dispatch soon as part of the contingency forces. _She’s not normal-her clothes, the way she looks, even-she’s…_ Nina looked at him warily then barged past him, peering over into the chaos below. Her eyes widened. _They’re fighting the titans…what are those things…?_ She watched them swoop and soar on what appeared to be lines or ropes… _strings?_

Something glinted, catching the lowering sun’s rays. It was a cluster of shards…of rock, no, crystal? _There…that must be where they took me from_. It wasn’t far from this face of the wall. Her eyes narrowed. The titans were in far greater numbers than before. _They’re coming in through that hole…what made it…why aren’t they doing something about it…?_ Her hands raked her hair back. _They probably can’t…no, they absolutely can’t…_ She felt like she’d gone back in time, not forward…

The wooden tips of another rope ladder caught her eye. She realised there were several in intervals along the length of the wall. _This will take me in._ She hurried towards it and began to climb down. The gawping soldier snapped out of his stupor.

“Oi! What the hell are you doing?!”

He rushed after her but she had already gone over. He watched, horrified, as she swung down, skipping numerous rungs at a time. _She’s gone in…_ Who was this lunatic? She’d be dead in five seconds…

Nina jumped down onto the ground, knees jarring. Immediately, she threw herself to the right as a huge body hurled itself against the wall, trying to snatch her up into its jaws. The titan quivered up then lunged again as she drew her sword and swung diagonally up from its collar bone. Its neck fell open, head lolling as its body juddered to a halt. Crashing waves of nausea suddenly began to course through her and she staggered, barely dodging a swipe from another grasping hand. _What…_ Her stomach contracted, vice-like, and she felt bile rise up in her throat. She twisted out of the way of another two titans, stumbling forward as they smashed into each other, both trying to seize the same human. Her legs broke into a blind, feeble sprint until she came up abruptly against stone. _A building…_ Her stomach suddenly heaved and she began to throw up violently. _What’s happening to me…?_ She coughed, retching. _Idiot…this is just going to make your scent stronger._

Hands gripping the wall, she turned into a narrow street. A titan lumbered out of a side alley then turned, beaming when it saw her. She moved towards it unsteadily, hands slipping on the hilt of her sword. It crouched down, its hand zooming towards her. Blade coming down awkwardly, she cut it off, then the other one. Surging forward, she shoved her blade into one of its eyes, slashing across into the other. Its face began to fall apart, chunks slipping past each other. Another set of thundering, rushing footsteps came from behind. She turned and evaded the titan’s fingers, diving forward to dismember a giant ankle. It came crashing down. She felt herself teeter… _I can’t even tell…if these are big ones…or tinies…_

“Sir! A female of unknown identity has entered the Trost district. I don’t think she’s from around here, sir!”

Pixis turned slightly to face the panting soldier near him. “Oh, I saw her go down…not a pretty sight.” He smiled wryly.

“Then she’s been eaten?”

“Oh, no-at least not yet, from what I saw. I highly doubt that-if she’s anything like her father…but even he…was never like this.” He drummed his fingers against his hip flask. Nina had disappeared from his sight some time ago.

“Commander Pixis!”

“Why don’t we wait and see?” His voice was absent but a deep frown grew on his face. Where was Eren’s titan? The boulder was still in the same position. Numbers of losses were soaring… A red flare suddenly shot up into the sky and his face became dark.

“So they’ve failed, huh…”

 

Nina sliced through the neck of another titan that had crouched to her level. A spray of blood streamed up from the stump and she was drenched as it showered down. _Good…about time I got some cover…_ “Cheers…” She felt her speech slur. “What…?” She didn’t even have to hide her pulse-it was gone already…

Head pounding, she stumbled through the maze-like roads. She no longer knew which direction the crystal was in…where was she was going? Her face and hands scraped against a door and she pushed. It opened and she fell forward into the house. A narrow staircase rose up from the left of the room. _If I get higher up…maybe I’ll see it…the rock…_ She crawled towards it and up the steps, their edges cutting into her knees, her elbows.

After what seemed like an eternity, she found boards under her fingers and pulled herself onto the landing. She tried to stand but collapsed against the hard floor. Her eyelids drooped. _Why does this keep happening…?_ Every time she tried to do anything…her body…betrayed her… _you piece of shit…_

_Stop…_

_Stop sleeping…_

_Stop running away…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	5. Foreigner

 

Tremors.

The ground tremored, vibrations jarring violently through every joint and bone. What…a titan? _A big one…but why…is the whole house shaking?_ She dragged her body towards the small window, legs like blocks of lead. Fingers gripping the ledge, she hauled herself up, squinting. And she felt the breath rush out of her. A titan. It’s was large. She pressed her face to the window, eyeballs almost grazing the glass. Fifteen metres at least. But what was  _that?_

On its shoulders sat a colossal boulder, its neck bent, shoulders crushed under its weight. It had come up the street and was almost upon the house she was in. Even from inside, she could hear its steaming grunts. _Those eyes…_ Every step it took sent shock-waves through the timbers of the house. It moved past and her fingers scrabbled for the latch. She threw open the panes, almost tumbling out. It pounded on ahead, heels driving hollows into the cobbles. “What…the hell…?” It turned and she could only see its shoulders now and the towering boulder. _The boulder…it’s going to…_ Her chest jolted. To where the hole is? _It’s going to plug it._

What…what…a titan aiding humans? She fell back clutching her head. Then it was intelligent? It must have communicated with them…they used it? A titan? Her arms fell limply to her sides. _No…no that’s impossible, no matter how you look at it…unless._ Unless, there was-

_A human inside._

_That boy…oh God, that boy._ She had seen him come out of the titan at the wall, seen him rip himself out the tangle of tendon and muscle. The smell of blood and flesh filled her nostrils. A human…a human controlling a titan. Her vision pulsed momentarily and the window frames became fringed with rainbows. She staggered. She felt so strange…so strange. A ragged laugh escaped her. What…? She was…light? Hopeful? At a time like this… _What is it…about that monster that’s making me feel like-like…_? She felt her knees buckle and her heels slip forwards. Her body hit the floor but she barely felt the impact. The ceiling loomed towards her.

  _Like things can still change?_

 

 

“And what is this!” The dark-haired, bespectacled woman pulled the scabbard off a giant sword. Eyes glowing, she heaved it up with a grunt. “WOAH! This is _heavy-”_ It yanked her down and sliced through a wooden table, splitting it asunder.

“Hange!” A taller, anxious-looking man attempted to pull it away from her.

“Remarkable!” She raised it again, tottering. The man ducked, narrowly escaping decapitation. “Moblit! This is amazing-do you think it can cut steel?”

“Squad leader Zoe, I’d appreciate if you didn’t destroy any more of the Garrison central station.” Another woman said drily. She tucked back brown, neck-length locks and looked on with a mixture of exasperation and dismay at the splintered remnants.   

“Sorry about that.” Hange scratched her head, a sheepish smile on her face. “Anka, was it?”

“Rheinberger.” The female garrison soldier raised an eyebrow. Personally, she wasn’t a stickler for formalities but she had never known how to feel about the survey corps. She’d always seen them as people who only wanted early deaths but in the wake of recent events…things had changed.

“Right.” Hange’s eyes quickly moved back to the sword. Slipping its sheath back on, she hauled it up in her arms and lowered it carefully onto a desk. Ridiculous, incredible things had reached her ears about this weapon’s owner. Two trainees had come over the wall with the most bizarre story-the report was the stuff of fantasy. Normally, her first instincts would have been to laugh and tear it up but in the light of the appearance of what was, quite literally, a titan-wielding human…she’d never been so stoked.

Her fingers moved along the odd, ridged material of the scabbard. _What kind of monster wields this?_ She was dying to know who they were. A girl inside a crystal? Said to have burst out of a titan…She clicked her tongue in frustration, anticipation. The military police had Eren and now the garrison got to have this person-it was hardly fair. Grimacing she squinted at the figures on the hilt. The survey corps had never been held in high favour. She turned on her heel.

“Where’s she now?”

“Third level. She’s asleep- _no visitors._ ” Anka warily moved to block an advancing Hange from the staircase.

“Squad leader-what are you even doing here?” Moblit raked his fingers through his hair, pinching the bridge of his nose. “The clean-up operation isn’t over-we need to get back into the district-!”

“Oh, don’t worry.” She waved him down. “We were due for a hiatus in five minutes-they’re re-loading for the next round of cannon fire. We would’ve been sent to the perimeter or something for that duration anyway-”

He heaved a thundering sigh. Anka narrowed her eyes as she turned to her. Hange folded her arms.

“Anything else?”

“A few things-” Anka reluctantly pointed to a cabinet. “They’re in there but the garrison would like to finish observing them then we’ll send them over to Stohess.” _She’ll get her fangs in them sooner or later._

Hange grinned. She was due to attend a meeting there negotiating the prospect of a direct interview with Eren. “What abo-?”

“Anka?” Another man entered the room, note in hand.

“Ah, Gustav, where’s Pixis?

“He’s gone up to Mitras.”

“What?

“He sent word from the higher ups-they’d like the scouting legion to escort her there.”

Hange smiled broadly and Anka pursed her lips. “We were going to take her in-what changed?”

“She has an audience apparently.” The three other soldiers all turned to look at him quizzically.

Anka frowned. “With the king?”

Gustav nodded, his face perplexed. “They seemed to be expecting her, oddly…she’ll have to be woken up.”

Hange moved for the stairs again but Moblit caught her arm. Anka fixed her with a stern stare. “ _Not yet_.” She turned to Gustav. “Will a few hours' wait do-she wasn’t at all in good shape when we found her.”

He scratched his neck. “Not sure-”

She sighed. “Of course.” She began to climb the stairs and Gustav followed her. Moblit looked apprehensively at Hange but she had not moved. Her body was tense as she waited until the two garrison soldiers had disappeared then she rushed to the cabinet. “Dammit! It’s locked…no matter.”

Moblit’s mouth fell open. “Hange!”

A clatter of footsteps and Gustav reappeared. Moblit quickly moved forward a smile plastered on his face. “So…um, Gustav-it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, huh?”

Gustav looked at him warily. “Since graduation.”

“Yes! I’ll never forget that day…”

“You trampled me with a horse that morning.”

 Moblit’s smile grew wider and more pained. “Well! I’ll take the opportunity to offer my apologies once a-”

“You already did. Every ten minutes, for the rest of the day.” He tried to walk past him. “Why are you here anyway?”

“Uh…” He stepped aside as Gustav moved to the desk, opening a drawer and rifling through papers. Moblit looked behind him and felt himself break into a cold sweat as he saw Hange swing the cabinet doors open. _Idiot!_ At this rate he’d be court-martialled…

He watched her turn, slipping something behind her back, and begin sidling slowly towards the door. Moblit goggled, opening his mouth and she fixed him with a steely glare. He shut it quickly, glancing at the still-rifling Gustav then came to hiss in her ear. “Squad leader! You can’t-! Put it back!”

“Shh! I will-later…” Dragging him towards the door, she cleared her throat. “So, is she coming down?”

Gustav looked up and shook his head. “Couldn’t shake her-nothing we do will wake her up.”

“Right then! We’ve got to get back into the thick of it-Moblit!” She strode out and he followed her out of the door dazed.

_What had she even taken?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	6. Bolt

 

                                                                          

Wincing, she covered her eyes as the sun’s weak rays hit her face. Waking up to light streaming through windows was not something she'd ever experienced. Her hand moved to her ear and she fingered the small gold hoop clasping the skin there, rough setting scraping her fingers. They’d taken her arm-harness and sword…she uncovered her eyes and shivered. She had to get them back. Her hands felt her hips. _Good, my utility belt’s still here…_

Propping herself up on her elbows, she looked around the room she was in. There was a low desk, two chairs and a tall armoire. Her eyes fell on her boots by the door and she smiled wryly _…huh…they didn’t think there was anything strange about those._ Right, she needed to get out of here-this was all very nice of them to give her a bed and all, but the case…

She struggled up jumping off the bed only to be yanked back violently. “What the-?!” She crashed down, chest slamming against the floorboards. There was a rope tied to her ankle, the majority of its length wound several times around the two short bed posts. She sat up, rubbing her shoulders. _Well, this is annoying_. She reached into her belt and slid out a tiny blade and began to cut through the cord. _Why am I being held…?_ She bit her lip in concentration-the rope was thick. _Did they really think…this would keep me here…?_ Severing the knot, she looked at the reddening circle around her ankle. _If they tethered me…_

Silently, she moved to the door and put her ear to its surface. The murmurs of two voices were audible on the other side. Guards. _Just as I thought…but why? What do they want?_ She cupped her hands around her ear, straining to hear their conversation.

“…first floor of a house-”

“What?! Why wasn’t she eaten-?!”

“Well, even we thought she was dead at first…she practically had no pulse.”

“Madness…”

“Lately, it’s been absolute chaos-”

“You said it! What with that boy turning out to be a titan…”

“What the hell…”

“Eren Yeager…a trainee…”

“Under our noses this whole time…”

Her eyes widened. _Eren_ …the human who could control a titan-or was the titan him?. She sat back onto the floor. That would be… _the ultimate weapon…if there were more like him…the titans would be finished…an army of titans._ She shook her head. _Woah, slow down…_ her mind was running wild. _That’s not anything to do with me…this isn’t…?_  She swallowed and raked her hair back. _I’m not…_ She leapt up. She didn’t have time to think about that now-first she needed to get out of here. Picking the lock would be no use with guards and she wasn’t about to wait it out-they could come and haul her out any moment.

She moved quickly to the window and threw it open, exhaling in annoyance. _Dammit, I’m on one of the higher levels._  She peered out biting her lip then grinned slightly when she saw what she was looking for. The shutters of the window below stuck out, open. _There’s no other way out of here…_ She unwound the rope still tied to the bed. It was about the length of the room-s _o I could walk around, huh…_ Would it get her parallel with the window? She threw it out and pulled it taut, yanking the bed right up against the wall. _Not a chance_ …she flopped down frustrated then sat bolt upright. _The boots, idiot._ She’d just drop and propel up the difference. _Okay…_ She scrambled for them and shoved her feet in, yanking the laces closed tightly.

Gripping the rope, she hoisted herself out the window and slid down slowly, palms burning. She inched further until she was dangling, hands centimetres from where the rope ended. Arms pulsing, she looked down. There was quite a few people milling around below. She tightened her grip. _No one look up…no one look up._ The top edge of the window was scraping against her hips and her knees hit a shutter. She’d miscalculated. There was no way she could activate the propeller in enough time if she let go now. Grunting, she stretched a leg down, toe of her boot grazing one of the shutters. Would they hold her weight? She only had one option- _or at least only one I can think of right now._ If she fell dead centre on them both…She took a deep breath and let go of the rope.

Her hands slammed into each shutter and she levered herself forward, feeling her left shoulder dislocate. She shot into the room landing hard on her behind. Grimacing, she slid the ball of her joint back in. _That was close…_ She struggled up then stopped for a moment.

 _Idiot! You didn’t even think…that there could be someone in here._ Tense, she looked around, body poised to run…or fight-no one seemed to be here. She let out a sigh of relief but the furrows in her brow did not relax- _what would you have done then?_  

Grey cylinders on the floor lined one side of the room. There was a large table with rows of dark, rectangular boxes. She moved forwards, tentatively, and opened one. Inside was an odd, two-spoked apparatus, a set of six, rectangular blades and two large rectangular metal cuboids… _scabbards?_ She lifted up the machinery; two lines came off it, each joined to an odd handle-shaped object-it was light in her hands. _This is what they were using…_ she remembered the swooping soldiers.

They were practically flying.

She felt her feet tingle as she held it up, turning it in the light. _So these are the propellers, huh._ Her eyes moved to the cylinders. And that must be what they use to power it… _Gas_. She squeezed one of the trigger-like protrusions in each of the handles and a line shot out slamming into the wall in front of her. She gasped. _This…this is how they do it._ She rose up on the balls of her feet, fingers tremoring slightly. Her hands moved to her belt-she was itching to take it apart here and now. _They’re not so backward after all…_ Retracting, the line zipped back into its place. She fingered the grapple hooks-four spurs? _They’ll work well enough, especially for stone and wood…_

But this wasn’t it. No there was something else _for_ this…She looked around with narrowed eyes until she spotted them on hooks. _The harnesses_ …Placing the gear carefully on the table, she moved towards them and touched the dark strapping. Her fingers rubbed the leather, fascinated. _They all had this on…_ She looked at the two cuffs at the bottom…for the feet. _It controls direction?_   Pushing her arms through, she slipped it over her head and closed the buckle over her chest. _Damn...this is too loose._ Flicking out the penknife, she bore an extra hole to tighten the strap. She slipped the leg pieces on and over her shoes. _How many buckles are there for God’s sake_ …The pads on the back rang hard under her knuckles… _this is where the gear goes._ She walked back to the table, tightening buckles. It was a little too big but it also meant she didn’t have to take off her boots. She settled the gear on and behind her, at the hips, rolling her shoulders. It felt so odd…she had to try it out somewhere.

But this was going to be hard…If she was going to get her sword back, she couldn’t use two triggers at a time. She looked down at the two hilts in her hand. _Well, I’ve never needed more than one line._ She took one of the thin tubes and wrapped it around her waist tucking the left hilt into the strapping. _Right._ She grabbed two tanks and moved back towards the scabbards. _These are meant to strap onto the legs_...she clicked her tongue. The soldiers she'd seen didn't seem to have any trouble with these huge things but there was no way she was going to wear them. She could see the slots for the tanks in each one. Digging into her belt, she took out a cutter and sawed off both the settings, fastening them onto the tanks. Crossing the tubes, she slid one each into the strapping encasing her thighs. Her hip bones grated as she jumped to make sure it would hold.  _I’m so stiff…_

Casting a disdainful glance at the blades, she moved for the door. The sword needed to be secured. She bit her thumb…but she also had to get out- _Dad’s case_. What was more important right now…? If she kept her pulse down and didn’t let any titans see her, she’d be able to get it more or less unscathed. Holding her breath, she opened the door a crack- the corridors were dim, empty. She slipped out and sped down, turning at a right, until she saw a flight of stairs. She pattered down silently, ignoring the first then the second landing and continuing until the stairs ended. An exit…she needed to find an exit. She saw light spilling out of a door way and rushed to it finding herself outside a small out-office, its door open. _The way out._

Here was vacant as well-she frowned. Where was everyone? She looked around then felt her heart surge as her eyes flew open in disbelief.

“My sword!”

She pounced on it, pulling it close to her. _They just left it lying around like this…The harness-_ It was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes fell on the cabinet. In there? She twisted the lever-it wouldn’t open. She sighed and kicked it, breaking the handle-she didn’t have time. Inside was her knapsack-that just had spare fuel discs and other things she didn’t need now. Grabbing it, she slammed the doors closed, irritated. No harness. They had an odd way of doing things, these people. Her fingers drummed against her scabbard. She couldn’t use the gear if she wore it normally-she’d just have to make do. Sliding her sword horizontally behind her, she looked furtively out of the window. The people gathered before seemed to have dispersed. Distant booms echoed in the distance.

She slid out the door, keeping to the walls then dashed into a small, dark nook-a blind-ended alley. Her hands moved for the hilt-she needed to test this thing out. Squeezing the trigger, she shot off a hook. The tank hissed and she shot after it, her feet slamming into the wall of the dead end. _Retraction’s fast too_ … “Huh. Not bad…” She jumped down and, squeezing the trigger strapped onto her as well, shot off both hooks into the sides of the alley. She rose up, suspended, then spun violently backwards.

“Woah…WOAH!”

She tried to right herself only to flop forward. “Wha-!” She jerked in the belt. Free suspension? _I can’t do this…_ She gripped the lines. _So this is how they fight them with those tiny blades._ She realised how much manoeuvrability they’d have- _they can move in all directions…they would never need to immobilise the titan first._ With these it would be much easier to access the nape. But two lines of this length were a hazard- _you’d have to be fast…and very careful._ Not her style. Well, she didn’t need both…the only reason she was using this was because her arm harness was gone. _One more thing..._

She retracted the hooks and let off gas, shooting upwards. The hissing grew weaker as she rose above the walls of the alley, the roofs of the surrounding buildings coming into view. She frowned. _Just my luck to pick up near empty ones_. She’d have to watch how much she used. She landed and moved out of the alley and began to sprint down the winding streets. She needed to get back into that titan-infested town.

And get her father’s case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	7. Fugitive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooo, this is pretty short.  
> > <

The house they were in was small, the whole of the ground floor being a homely combination of kitchen and living room. The majority of them were sat around a large table near the centre, with others seated in chairs. Something made a strange, muffled, ripping noise.

“What is that?” One of the seated men looked disdainfully at the woman holding the bizarre object in her hands.

“Oh, it belongs to the person.” She grinned, pushing back dark bangs. “The one they found.”

“Why have you got it?”

“I wanted a look at her belongings-that odd girl was using this in some way.”

“The one who is odd is you.” He frowned slightly through raven locks. There had been plenty a rumour about the strange person found unconscious in a house in Trost and that, _actually,_ she had come out of a crystal and _that_ had come out of a titan, _as a matter of fact_. He hadn’t seen the girl or the report yet but even so, he was surprised by how out of hand the rumours had gotten…a rock-from inside a titan? _What a load of sh-_

In a whistling zip, something shot past him, barely missing his jaw. He whipped round to see a line of thick, dark steel embedded in the wall behind him.

“Woah! It’s like our grapple lines! But better! The hook only has two barbs…why…?” Hange adjusted her spectacles, a slow grin spreading across her face. She yanked it back. “They have their own independent hinge system…amazing…and what is this…I don’t know what this is...” She was breathing hard, her words running over each other. “...the fasteners…they’re these rough, sticky things…the buckles are made of something that isn’t wood or metal-its light…there’s no way this could be made with our current technol-”

He wrenched the contraption from her, scowling. “Watch it.” Brow furrowing, his fingers ran over its peculiar curves. This…thing was that person’s-some sort of harness,  _but it’s tiny_ …The material was odd, matte at first but it caught the light when he turned it. Still…it wouldn’t come a surprise to him if it were all somehow true…what with that brat being a titan. _A rock containing a human?_ Why not?

Hange put her hands together, fingers steepling. “But why does she have something like this…? And that sword…clearly it’s for some sort of combat-wherever she’s from there was probably a war or fighting of a kind…but what?”

He dropped the strange banding onto the table and shrugged. “That isn’t of our concern now.” His eyes moved to the rest of his squad. They sat huddled, murmuring quietly, shoulders tense. A young woman with short, auburn hair looked up, eyes smiling. They were taking shelter in an abandoned house from the next approaching round of cannon-fire. At the forefront of the mop-up operation, scouting legion squads were to go in after and finish off any immobile titans. This section of the town had all but been cleared-there wasn’t a lot of them left.

Hange rocked on the edge of her chair, fists clenching and unclenching. He watched her warily. She’d recently been given the go ahead to capture a titan and had been fired up all morning. Her chair scraped as she bounced slightly. And then with the appearance of the boy Eren, followed by that strange girl…she was close to exploding.

A tall, sandy-haired figure entered, stooping at the door. “Re-loading is complete. They’re going to start.” Before he had even sat, the air was filled with deafening booms as the wall cannons let rip a round of thundering blasts. The soldiers readied themselves-as soon as this bombardment was over, they were to move in with other squads and eliminate any moving titan remnants. The booming continued for another five or so minutes when another bang drew their eyes to the door.

A man in Garrison uniform had burst in, panting. “She’s escaped!”

“Gustav!”

“Who?” The raven-haired man sat up.

“C-captain Levi! It’s her-the one we found yesterday-she’s entered the district again!”

Hange jumped up. “What?! She was on the third floor!”

The captain’s lids lowered. “She gave you the slip.”

“No but-! There were guards posted-she’s not…normal, at all-” Gustav gripped his knees. “We need to secure her again-urgently.”

Levi ran a finger over the blades in one of his scabbards. A person who could not be contained in a locked and guarded room. He met Hange’s gaze then looked back at the breathless Gustav. It seemed the special operations squad had to go after her.

“The corps were to escort her to Mitras in any case.” The sandy-haired man sniffed, figure towering even in sitting position.

Levi turned. “And when were you going to inform me of this, Mike?”

“Just about now, before _he_ showed up.”

Hange scratched her head. “Ah, I forgot to say as well. She’s wanted by the higher ups.”

Levi sighed, irritated. Whoever this person was, she was going to get herself killed-she was most likely dead already. There were still titans remaining in the region. He stood, unsheathing his blades. “We’ll carry on engaging titans as normal-if she is encountered, we will capture her or bring back her corpse…I’m not guaranteeing anything.” He moved to the door. “Right. Let’s get this over with.”

Mike watched him silently, then rose. “I’ll join you.”

Levi raised an eyebrow at the large, quiet man. Mike was never one to offer up arms spontaneously. Besides, he had his own squad-not that they weren’t more than capable without him. He stepped out into the pale, morning sun.

“As you wish.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	8. Pursual

Gustav stood on a rooftop, grim-faced, fingers curled around hilt triggers. The girl had been located-if sightings were accurate she was due to enter this division soon. He looked around at the other poised soldiers, a mixture of garrison and corps recruits-it was a sight seldom seen. They had just finished clearing the perimeter of regenerating titans-the section of the town behind them was effectively free of the creatures. But he could still see hulking torsos rising above distant roofs and they were advancing this way. He gritted his teeth. This many humans all in roughly the same place could lead to nothing else. There was a round of blasting shots and a number of the figures fell gunned down by wall-cannons. Still that wouldn’t last for long…

“There!”

“She’s in the next street!”

“She’ll be turning into here soon!”

Gustav unsheathed his blades. “Cut her off!”

“ _Wait._ ”

He turned and saw that Captain Levi had descended behind him. “Sir?!”

“She’s completely surrounded-let’s see what her aim is.” The captain’s blades were sheathed and Gustav stared at him astonished. He moved past him along rust-coloured roof slates. “Stay low-don’t let her see you.”

Gustav re-hinged his jaw and stammered. “Y-yes, sir!” He raised his arm and the other garrison soldiers moved back from the edges, crouching low. The corps members followed suit on the show of Levi’s hand. Suddenly, they felt the faintest of tremors as a titan entered the street from the left. Gustav frowned. _They’re here already_ …It was by no means large, a three-metre class, too small to fall in the range of canon-fire.

“Ah, Gustav-you’ve become very good at taking charge in my absence- you shall be lead in my place when this old man finally pops his clogs.”

Gustav's eyes widened as he registered the commander coming towards him. “Pixis!”

“Ah...I probably shouldn’t have said that-somewhat scandalous, eh?”

“Sir-I thought you left!”

“Mm-I was halfway to Sina when I thought: Goddamit-I’ve forgotten my cufflinks!” His eyes were locked onto the opening of the street. Gustav felt himself tense as a small figure appeared. She raced forward then stopped short at the sight of the advancing titan. _We need to get her quickly-before she’s eaten…_ His gaze flicked expectantly to Levi-he hadn’t moved. Pixis remained motionless as well. He felt himself become awash with confusion. Why weren’t they doing anything? _At this rate…_ More tremors reverberated weakly through the ground as a second titan entered from the right-this one of a slightly larger class-five metres. _Oh God…she’s caught in the middle_.

Nina stood stock-still, a hand resting on the hilt of her sword. _Come on…_ her grip tightened and she shivered slightly. _Hurry up_. She waited until they were almost upon her, tremors near deafening in her ears. Drawing her sword, she crouched as two pairs of flailing hands came from either side and leapt up. She kicked her heel and spun at an angle, cutting through the leg of the five-metre and severing the thigh of the smaller titan. They crashed down and she bounded to the left, out of the way of the falling bodies. She surged on, dodging their clutching fingers-they couldn’t catch up to her one-legged. _I don’t need to kill these right now…_

Gustav’s jaw dropped for the second time, waves of bewilderment ploughing through him.  _She cut down…the titans?_

“Marvellous…” Pixis murmured. “Takes you right back…” His eyes were shining. Gustav beat down his shock, grimacing.

“She’s like a butcher.”

“Her skill is in immobilising.”

“Ah.” He nodded dumbly. “With that God-awful sword…” His stomach churned as he tried desperately to keep his tone indifferent. _Who the-?_

“Yes-for all her savagery, she’s quite methodical…when she’s in her right mind.”

Gustav started. “Wait, what-how do you know-?”

“I’ve seen her once before. And her father also-he fought similarly but with generally much more control…in fact it seemed to me he was holding back for the most part.”

“Who was he…?” The girl was fast approaching the end of the street and the soldiers had begun to move after her.

“Maxim Were.”

“Oh…!” He’d heard that name before, but- “I thought he was a myth-he actually-?”

Pixis snorted. “Myth my foot. His snoring certainly wasn’t-but come to think of it hardly anyone seems to remember him…why is that?”

Gustav could only stare at the commander. _What…_ Pixis turned away suddenly. “Well, my man! I’m leaving her to you and the corps. Erwin’s holding the fort for me and I must join him soon.” He dropped off the roof ledge behind him and disappeared.

Brow furrowed, Gustav shook his head and moved to join the progressing soldiers. She had entered the suburbs, the remaining area of greatest titan density. They advanced, hooks shooting and lines flying. She wasn’t in the next street. They swooped on. Or the next. He turned, mid-air, frustrated then caught a glimpse of white darting between the buildings. Levi had already steered the soldiers after her. She was moving towards the other side, nearing the town’s edge. How had she covered that much ground? _She’s running…? Where’s she going?_

The streets here were wider and the buildings smaller-they weren't as elevated as before. A portion of the corps had remained a little behind to engage approaching titans. Levi landed next to him, eyebrows bunched slightly in irritation. “You’re getting too close.”

Gustav faltered in disbelief. “Sir…” They’d been dragging this out for long enough-why were they just letting her…? He squinted at the dark strapping encasing her legs and torso. Anka gasped. “She’s got 3D gear!”

“She stole it! But it’s incomplete-”

“Where are the scabbards-what’s she done?” Gustav raked a hand through his hair. A titan, about seven metres, came towards their perch and he stiffened. It plodded past, ignoring them. A deviant.  _It’s going for her…_

She stopped and turned then shot off a hook, clambering onto a roof. He turned to Levi. “Sir-she’s gotten hold of manoeuvre gear somehow.”

“I can see that.” 

He fell back perplexed. “H-how does she know how to use it-?”

“Who said she does?”

“What?”

“Look.”

She jumped off the roof, unsheathing her sword and shot a grapple hook into the titan’s forehead.

“She’s scaling the titan! What-why?” _She doesn’t have to…there are buildings everywhere…_

“See, she’s only using one line and hardly for mobility.” Levi’s mind flashed back to the strange, hard harness. “Watch.”

Slicing through floundering fingers, she surged forward. “This thing…is pretty good.” She still hadn’t quite gotten over the gear’s versatility. _It’s a shame I can’t make full use of this…_ She frowned as the second line half released, trailing behind her. She must have activated the second hilt at her waist. Connecting, she sprung off its brow and landed clumsily onto its head. She felt herself yanked back a little-it had caught the second line, wrenching it into it’s mouth. Her eyebrows rose. _Smart one, are you? Ah well, I’ve only ever used one_ and she quickly severed it. Gripping its rope-like locks, she slid down the back of its head. “Right big boy. It’s curtains for you.” With a deft flick, she carved out its nape, throwing herself onto the roof of the nearest house as it fell away below her. Unwrapping the second hilt, she tucked the dysfunctional one in its place. _That was annoying_. She looked around over the expanse of buildings before her, ending abruptly with the great walls. Biting her thumb, she grinned suddenly. _There!_

The fragments of something orange and crystalline glinted faintly from a small, open area-void of any large structures _. A square? It’s close…_ Curling her fingers around the freed hilt, she slid her sword back into place and shot off a hook high into the wall of the next set of buildings. _Damn it._ She needed two lines for this. There were too many titans on ground and she didn’t have time to engage them. Her shoulders throbbed-she didn’t particularly want to either. _No choice._ Squeezing the hilt again, she swung across.

“Follow her.”

She braced herself for the crunch. _All I can do is shorten it as quickly as possible_. She slammed into the edge of the roof, her head taking only a little of the impact. _Alright, could’ve been worse._ Hoisting herself up, she picked out the tiny stones that had embedded themselves into her temple and turned to the shattered crystal.  There weren’t many titans in its vicinity and none immediately close. She froze.

“There’s a seventeen meter coming up behind her!” Gustav sucked air through his teeth. Surely, she couldn't successfully engage this-there was no way, especially with only one line. _No, it’s impossible…_

“So there is.” He looked at the captain’s face. It was blank, expressionless but he couldn’t help but feel…that he was enjoying himself?

The tremors of its steps reverberated through her heels and she turned, the heat of its steaming breath warming her face. She whistled. _Hardly ever saw ones as big as you back home_. Its bright eyes bulged. _Why._  She readied her blade, _why do you all smile like that?_

She shot off the grapple line. _What the hell is so damn funny?_  This time she aimed for the upper side of the neck. She’d cut its fingers on the way and get round to the nape. It grunted and dragged down on the line and she bit her lip. _Dammit! It caught it too early…_ She felt herself momentarily rise as her line took up the slack. _Crap._ Why was one this large so fast? Gritting her teeth, she angled her body towards its beaming face. _Wonder what the inside of these look like…_ She let off more gas, propelling herself hard, vertically up _. Come on, come on…no-!_ It wasn’t enough. She kicked the back of her heel and the propeller shot her forward.

And into the titan’s gaping mouth.

“Wha-”

“What.”

They all halted, stunned.

“She went in-"

"She went inside the titan.”

“Good God...”

“She was eaten?”

“Captain! She-” He turned frantically to Levi. The captain’s eyes had widened fractionally but he said nothing. Gustav looked back at the scene, dismayed. He knew it…the way they had let things go-sooner or later she would’ve been devoured. _What do we do now-if she’s gone-?_

In a sudden flurry of blood and steam, she shot out, ripping through the titan’s nape.

Gustav sank to his knees. He couldn’t. This was too much. Too much insanity in too little time. “What the hell is she? What the hell is-?”

The titan toppled down, pillar-like and she landed awkwardly near it. She winced at the violent jarring of her knees and staggered as she tried to right herself. _I’m losing my edge._ Her legs buckled and she almost fell forward. “Woah _, what?”_ She felt absolutely shattered. Her fingers squeezed the trigger and a short, jagged end came out-her remaining line was cut. The rest she’d have to go on foot.

She moved past the fallen titan, sword dragging. Her breathing was too uneven for her liking- _I can’t get my pulse down low enough._ She felt her neck. “Then I’m gonna need some cover”. Sliding her blade into and across the side of the titan’s abdomen, she cut out a wide opening. The blood leaked out slowly, a deep crimson. She looked on appreciatively. _Nice and thick._ Slipping in an arm, she let the dark liquid stream through her fingers. _It’s colder too…this won’t evaporate as fast._

“What is she doing?”

Their faces were horrified, shocked, wondering. The captain’s eyes narrowed. Bringing her hands up, she smeared the blood onto her face and down her neck. _It’s been too long…how long…? Since you’ve fought like this…_ She laughed silently, bitterly _._ Yet it felt like it was just yesterday.

“Did she…lick it-?”

“Disgusting-”

She plunged her head in. _But damn, it stinks._ The soldiers all visibly drew back.

“What…”

"No..."

“Oh God.” Gustav heard someone retch behind him.

“That’s terrible.”

“Is-is she eating it?”

She pulled away and shook gore-soaked locks out of her eyes. The square was practically straight ahead. She’d cut through these houses, then their windows-another two streets and she’d be upon the rock. Shoving the door open, she went inside.

Gustav uncovered his mouth. “She’s on the move.”

The captain unsheathed his blades. “After her.” His eyes flashed. “Don’t let her escape now.” He shot down, landing near the fallen titan. _Not after all this._

Gustav nodded in relief and moved forward with the gear, landing on the next set of roofs. Finally they were going to capture her  _and put a stop to this madness._

Levi walked along the length of the huge, smoking corpse, blade grazing its mottled hide until it reached the hole she had made. He turned at the sound of advancing footsteps and saw a breathless Hange running towards him, spy-glass in hand. He looked at her, eyes piercing. “Did you see all that?”

She swallowed. “Yes…w-who is she?” Hange was baffled, disillusioned. She’d been expecting a behemoth, a towering figure to match that terrible sword.

He frowned. She wasn’t as enthusiastic as he expected her to be. Her face was pale. Moving past her, he took the spyglass from her hands and slid it into itself.

“That’s what we’re going to find out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	9. Seized

She burst through the large window, arms up to shield her eyes from flying splinters and landed, stumbling into the square. There was barely anything left of the titan blood she had coated herself in but no matter-she had her pulse under control now and no titans should come here for the time being. She looked around- even further out, there didn’t seem to be any. The shattered crystal stood a little off the centre, jagged and shining with an amber fire. She moved towards it hesitantly, heart suddenly hammering- _they said I came out of this…?_ As she came closer she saw it was translucent, almost transparent.

_‘It came out of a titan-! I don’t know!’_

Her brow twitched violently and, like some macabre set of nesting dolls, she tried to piece scraps of information together. _I was in this, this was in the titan, and the titan came from where? How did this end up inside a titan…all the way here? Did dad come here like this as well? Did dad make this…? How…_ She touched the face of one of the shards and winced as she was faintly shocked by some static. _Why…why did you bring me here…?_

She breathed out sharply through her nose, closing her eyes for a moment. _There’s no point thinking about that now._ Grasping a low point, she heaved up slightly, peering within the tawny ruins. _Dad…_ His case was nestled in its centre, huge and dark. She jumped down and moved round the perimeter. _There should be an opening…I must have come out from somewhere…_ legs buckling slightly, she stopped at the split then bit her lip, unsheathing her sword. She needed to make the opening bigger-the case wouldn’t fit through one this small. _D-dad…_

“So this is what you came back for.”

Starting, she turned wildly to find her whole flank and back blocked by a group of soldiers. _What._ She felt hands grip each arm and her sword slipped out of her grasp. “Huh?” She croaked, her voice barely a whisper. “Who are you…?” They pulled her forward.

“Come one, now-” Their faces were grim _…fearful?_ “If you stay calm, there won’t be any problems.”

For a second, she let herself be tugged along then snapped out of her daze, leaping down and yanking the two men after her. Wrenching around, she threw one off, gritting her teeth as she violently twisted to shake off the other. _Get off me…_ He grunted, holding on fast and she caught his wrist pulling it up and ramming her heel into his abdomen. He fell to the ground, groaning.

“Little bitch…”

Another came running towards her, blade raised, and she crouched down pushing forwards and up off her hands and kicked it from his grasp. _Why…?_ Her wrists jolted. _What do they-?_

“What are you doing-? Hurry!”

“Get her already!”

Arms grabbed her from behind and she reached back gripping the assailant’s shoulders, hurling them in front of her. Knees squealing, she kicked off one of the shards’ surfaces and thrust her feet into the faces of two other soldiers. _I can’t keep this up…for much longer._ Her breath came out of her like knives, ripping open her lungs, her throat. _Leave me…alone._

“Get her legs, for God’s sake!”

“Bloody hell-!”

“Can’t you deal with that little squirt-? Go at her all at once!”

“No-she’ll only give us the slip again in the confusion!”

“Don’t let her get the sword!”

She snarled as she dived and tackled someone by the legs, flinging them up and into another two advancing soldiers. _I just want…_ She punted away a second blade, narrowly missing another slicing through the air towards her torso.

“Don’t cut her-she’s wanted unharmed!”

“Dammit!”

 _Dad-_ She fell back onto her elbows and kicked the feet out from under a woman, levering up and catching another man in the face with her foot. _Dad, where are you-?_

“She just got Mike-!

“What the-!”

Someone clamped onto her face from behind and she bit down hard on their fingers. They howled and she hurled them off her, panting hard.

“You’re prolonging this unnecessarily.”

All of a sudden, the keen coldness of metal against her neck drew her to a halt. _When-!_ They came up behind her, pressing sword's teeth to the side of her throat.

“Cool it-I don’t think you’d even try bite a blade now, would you?”

 

Levi watched as she turned slowly, his sword nicking her skin, tracing a thin, beaded line of scarlet. Still, _he wasn’t entirely sure._ Suddenly, he hissed.

“ _Now!_ ”

He leapt back and three men dived onto her. Hands slammed down, restraining her legs and arms and she felt herself shoved onto the ground, face driven hard into the cobbles. She growled muffledly and twisted her head round, blood streaming from her nose, eyes searing.

The captain looked down at her distractedly, brows lifted. _How…nostalgic…_

He motioned to Mike and she was hauled up, arms pinned tightly against her sides. She tried desperately to twist out of his grasp. _He’s strong…_ Feeling ropes encircling her legs, she lashed out, catching someone on the side of the head. 

“Leave it.” The man holding her tightened his grip. “I’ve got her secure like this.”

Levi walked to her, sheathing his blade. “Who are you?”

She spat and he stepped aside, eyeing the glob of saliva on the ground distastefully. Still struggling, she glowered. _Who is this shorty…? He’s half the size of the giant holding me now…_ The man looked at her, contemptuous. “Well you’re going to have to answer the bigwigs soon enough.” He walked over to join a crouching Hange at the crystal’s edge.

Nina looked around her, eyes darting. She was surrounded. _Even if I somehow get away from this big guy…_ It would take too much to fight it out again. The grip of the man holding her was verging on suffocating and she flinched as a tiny current of air grazed her nape. _Huh?_ She could’ve sworn, just now-he’d taken a deep...sniff? _What the-!?_ She kicked wildly.

“Put me _down_ -I’d rather walk in cuffs.”

Levi turned. “Oh? So you’re not just a vicious mute…tie her hands.” The crystal ruins rose up above him and he looked down at Hange and they both saw in the other’s face what they had realised moments before.

_There are no titans here._

Nina glared thunderously at his back then shoved at the soldier tying her wrists together. “Not so tight, idiot.” The maneuver gear was unfastened from her and she moved sullenly after Mike as he tugged her along, the rope looped around his arm. Levi made to follow them when Gustav approached him, Anka in tow.

“Sir, the garrison will bring that huge thing inside in-it was asked for specifically.”

Levi nodded shortly then looked back. “Hange.”

She raised an arm without turning, waving them on. “I’ll join you in a bit…” She scooped up small, fiery fragments off the ground and, rubbing them between her fingers, she was surprised to find it crumble under the friction. _This pierced titan flesh? How…_ she took out a small muslin bag and dropped in a larger piece, stowing it carefully into her jacket. She’d have to watch her movements-she didn’t want it crumbling into dust before she could get it under a microscope. Casting a glance behind her, she rose to her feet. The soldiers’ presence made for a pretty dense congregation of human targets. _Why…aren’t they coming here? Something about this rock…_ but it made no sense. If it had come out of a titan, why were the titans avoiding it?

Mike stopped and turned to face Nina. “You’re going to have to hitch it with me.” She scowled. _Huh…what am I-a kid?_ He spun her round and criss-crossed more rope over her torso, crouching as he strapped her onto his back. She beat down her fury, biting her tongue. _You can’t do anything now…_

“Keep your legs out of the gear.” He shot up and she drew her knees into her chest, narked. _You expect me to stay like this the whole time…?_

Soon they’d reached the edge of the town and, after mounting the walls, exited the Trost district. She let her legs fall, hips cracking as Mike landed-her left knee did _not_ feel good. He untied the ropes and she winced as she pitched forward, bashing a shoulder.

“The carts are ready.”

She was tugged up to her feet and pulled onto a low wagon. The wooden base was strangely hollow under her soles and she collapsed down onto a bench-seat. Mike sat opposite her, catching her eye as he tied her rope firmly around his ankle. “No funny business.” His voice was gruff. She blinked. That wasn’t a bad idea…there was no way she could make a run for it now. _His name is Mike_. More soldiers climbed on and she drew back instinctively as their eyes turned to her. They all looked at her for a moment, at her russet skin, wild stark locks, her gnashing eyes.

“I’ll ask again. Who are you?” The small, bad-tempered looking man sat furthest away from her, next to a taller woman wearing glasses. Nina clamped her mouth shut and looked straight over his head. He sighed, faintly irked-it was clear she wasn’t going to cooperate, now that she was captured. He certainly wasn’t one to plead but threatening did not seem necessary just yet. Hange was silent, carefully placing the rock sample into a small casket.

Mike folded his arms. “Well for one thing, she’s a thief.”

“I am _not.”_ She snapped. “You lot stole my arm-piece first.” Levi’s eyes moved along to Hange. She seemed suddenly to be struggling to assume a nonchalant, composed expression. _You look constipated…_ his hand shot out and under her cloak, twisting the harness from her. Jumping, she yelped indignantly then fell silent under his uncompromising glare.

“This?” Nina half-rose, eyes faintly hopeful as he held it out towards her. He pulled it back, pushing it under his seat. “This will be inspected at Stohess.” _Jerk!_  She struggled to her feet, teetering precariously in the moving cart. 

“ _Oi._ ” Mike jerked her back down. He looked down at her through sandy bangs. “Just sit tight and get it over with." She scowled and turned away from him, huddling into a corner. _What do they want? Did they do this to Dad? Do they know Dad?_ They all looked at the small, hunched back, wary, bewildered.

A slight dampness at her chin drew her attention to the spreading red stain on her shirt. The bridge of her nose throbbed and blood still dripped weakly from it. _That was dirty…_ She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find Mike holding out a large, white cloth.

“Guess we’re even, huh?”

She stared at his outstretched hand then looked up and saw dried blood fringing his nostrils. Blinking, she sniffed hard, the metallic taste grating in her mouth. “I don’t need that.” He shrugged and wiped his own nose.

The rope around her wrists was beginning to cut into the skin and she caught the eye of a small, copper-haired woman as she twisted them out in front of her. The woman tried to smile, then looked away quickly. Why were they acting like this? Right after they did her in… _captured me-like a criminal…_ Her eyes fell on the man sat at the far end of the cart, the one who’d been trying to get her to talk. _They call him Captain_.

He had taken out his blade and had it balanced across his knees. She could make out a thin smudge of crimson along its teeth. Human blood. _Hers_. Her hands moved to the cut on her neck. _Whose fault was that?_   Producing a rag, he wiped its surface several times, mouth curling slightly. She felt her bound fists clench. Why was he treating it like it was something filthy, like she was dirt? He looked up, steely eyes meeting hers and she found herself glaring. He raised an eyebrow.

“That’s a nice face for a scarecrow.”

She jolted forward, furious yanking Mike behind her but the woman with glasses quickly moved forward between them. “Hey, hey…don’t mind him-he’s just in a bad mood.” She was jerked back once more, Mike pulling the rope taut, an exasperated foot holding it against the wooden base. The woman plonked herself on the cart’s floor near Nina, earning herself a few grumbles and jostles. She rested her chin on her fingers, bringing her hands together.

“Tell me this-back in Trost, why did you do that?”

“What?” Nina’s eyes moved over her impatient, irritated. The _captain_ had sheathed the blade and now sat back, arms crossed, face apathetic.

“Why did you cover yourself in titan blood?”

She looked back at her then closed her eyes, vision suddenly shuddering. “Damn…I don’t know-looked like _fun_ , I guess.”

Sarcasm deflected, Hange’s curious, slightly feverish expression did not change. She cocked her head.

“Could it be...you eat titans?”

Coffee-brown eyes locked with hers and Nina’s mouth fell open. _There’s no way she actually…_ She sat up incredulous, angry.  

“What?! Are you nuts? It keeps them off my tail, that’s i-.” The woman grinned and Nina realised she had fallen into the trap. She glowered and Hange felt her skin smart under her burning eyes.

“Off your tail? What do you mean?” Nina pressed her lips together and the woman sat back, crossing her legs. “They can’t detect you? Is that it?” Hange laughed. “Now, that’s ridiculous-plenty of times we’ve been covered in the stuff and it made no difference-they came after us all the same. No…” _There was something else._ Nina’s lids lowered. _Only works if your pulse is down…idiot._ She’d be damned if she told her that now.

Hange sighed-she could see she was determined not to be fooled twice. “Well! I haven’t introduced myself now, have I? Hange Zoe.” She held out her hand then passed it over her head awkwardly, casting a glance at Nina’s bound wrists. “That guy over there is Levi-our Captain, and this is Petra, Oluo is opposite her and the big guy opposite you is…”

Nina let her head fall back, tuning out of the odd woman’s chatter. She didn’t care who these people were-she just needed to hold out until she got off the cart and then start looking for escape routes. _I’m not…going to say a word._ She looked up at the billowing sky and her brow crunched. _So many clouds…there are so many…_

“Oi, four eyes-she doesn’t need a name-reel.”

“She’s not listening anyway…”

“Huh…she’s fallen asleep?”

“The little-”

“Can’t believe her…”

“Damn, she really has…”

“Shove her back over, already-before she falls out the cart.”

They all quietened, as if afraid to wake her. There had been a pleading savagery in her eyes as she had fought, ferocious, despairing. They felt as if they’d subdued something akin to an animal yet, all of a sudden she was just this small, tired, irritable girl who drooled in her sleep. Again their eyes turned to her slumbering face.

_What…the hell...?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	10. Advent

Mike blinked slowly under the sudden gloom of an archway. They had entered the realm of Wall Sina some time ago and so far without any event. He knew the girl had awoken long before but she had kept her eyes shut, shunning any interaction. Still they darted wildly beneath her lids and he knew that she was thinking of a million ways to escape. They had all remained silent for the majority of the journey, void of the usual bursts of their dry-humoured conversation. A faint sense of alarm had slowly been rising in them but no one dared voice it just yet. The breaching of the wall, a boy inside a titan, a girl inside a rock-what would be next? 

Her eyes snapped open as they re-entered into the sunlight and he tensed slightly but she only sat up. A sudden quietness seemed to take hold of her as she looked around and her expression became confused. _Good_. She was well and truly disorientated. His shoulders relaxed as he untied the rope from his ankle. Not as if she wasn’t enough already. He doubted she’d try anything serious now, after all-where would she go in a place unbeknownst to her completely, where she’d be at a crippling disadvantage?

 _Erwin is here._ He couldn’t for the life of him fathom what the man was thinking, but then he had hardly ever been able to. _Erwin…you knew about her, didn’t you…?_

They had reached the home of the king, the castle-he couldn’t help but look over it derisively. They filtered off the cart and Mike tugged on the rope as she lagged slightly, gazing up, open-mouthed, at the towering building. It hit him then, they didn’t even know her name…the Garrison seemed just as ignorant. She walked after him dazed as they entered through the great doors. Her eyes followed his hands, unfocused, as he made to pass the rope to Levi then hesitated. Moving forward, he brought up her hands and cut them free completely, holding his breath. She rubbed her wrists, eyes still roving over the walls, face blank as if- _This was another world to her…of course, of course…_ Where had she come from?

A look passed between him and Levi. Mike would return to Trost with the bulk of the present Corps soldiers and continue with the mop-up operation-judging by the amount of titans remaining, they’d likely be finished by this afternoon at the latest. Hange and Levi had been due to attend a meeting at Stohess regardless and would remain, escorting their captive to the royal audience.

He saluted and moved back out into the sun, fingers splaying the frayed ends of the rope that had bound her. After all this they would know, once and for all…what the hell was going on.

 

“This way.”

She found herself being led through long, twisting hallways, past lofty door after lofty door. _This…_ she’d seen something like this before on a holo-disc. Over a thousand years ago, no… _three_ thousand now-people lived in large, stone constructions, size often indicative of status… _the larger, the building the more important the individual._ There were four soldiers behind her and three in front, the captain on the right.  

She cleared her throat. “Where are am I going?”

Levi did not turn. “You have been summoned by the king.”

“King?”

“Of humanity. You’re required to appear before him shortly.”

She raised and lowered her left shoulder. _The king of humanity…huh-?_ “Uh-!” Stumbling, she came to an abrupt halt as she bumped into one of the men-they had stopped at a low, wide door. Levi turned to face her.

“Get in.”

“What.”

“You’re going to have an audience with several dignities-there’s no way you can meet them in that state.”

She looked down at herself. Her shirt was splattered with blood but other than that she was only covered in dust, hands a little smudged. Dirt…was never an issue in the desert. She frowned.

“I don’t need to.”

“When did I say it was your choice?” Nodding, he bade the rest of the guards, save for two, to leave. “Besides…you absolutely _reek_ of titan.” He hissed, glaring down at her. Her mouth fell open-never had she seen anyone look so disgusted. For a second she was speechless then she bristled, fingers curling. “Oi-”

“Alright, now.” One of the remaining guards, a female, opened the door steering her into the room. “Just get it over with.” She was pushed in. Before her was a squat, dark cubicle. “In there-throw over your clothes.”

She moved hesitantly towards, then inside the partition and looked up at the spigot on the wall, perplexed. “What’s that? A tap?”

“It’s a shower.” The soldier’s voice was incredulous in spite of herself. “I suppose only the really fancy castles have these…you turn the wooden knob and water comes out.”

“But-but that’s such a waste…” Nina turned bewildered, eyes wide.

“What? What are you talking about?”

 _Of course._ Nina closed her eyes-they didn’t need to scrimp on water…Her temples pulsed-she still couldn’t…

“Hurry up. The king is waiting.”

Sliding the bolt home on the flimsy stall door, she eased off her boots, then socks and shoved them under. The walls were granite, rough against her back as she pulled off her clothes, tossing them over the short cubicle walls.

“I’ve put some spares on the chair.”

She heard the door close, as the soldier left. There was a low ledge, with a row of vials and soft-coloured oblong shapes. _Soap?_ She ignored the ornate ones and picked up a pale bar, inhaling tentatively. Vanilla.

 

Levi let himself fall back against the wall and brought his arms up, folding them tightly. Hange had left to join Erwin in preparation for the negotiation. But before that there was another meeting, it seemed-to do with the captive _._ Normally, she would have been taken in as she was-she could’ve been covered in gore for all he cared but this was a specific request from the monarch-what could they want with a person like her? And Erwin? As soon as word of the rock had reached his ears, his face had changed. Levi grimaced. And he’d gone straight up to Mitras, accompanying Pixis…he supposed he should be used to that by now, used to never knowing his next move. He _was._

But to think she would get the shower-closet. _Lucky shit_. Almost everyone he knew would go their whole lives without even so much as a glimpse inside of one-a privilege reserved for the filthy rich. Some MP members were also said to have made use of them or so they boasted at assemblies and balls…and now she, this _girl_ , was given that opportunity right off the bat. Most likely she didn’t even know how lucky she was… _Lucky?_

He realised he was being ridiculous, petulant almost-but for some time now he’d been feeling more than a little confused. What with Eren, a _human_ boy, being one of the creatures he’d vowed so vehemently to exterminate-not that he was affected adversely by it in any way. But he was irritated and he wanted to direct that at someone-this stranger, this foreigner, seemed like a good scapegoat if any. She’d done enough damage to his comrades to earn it.

 

She turned the knob and gasped as water streamed out onto her head. _Warm_ …it was warm and frothing, almost _thick_. It felt so unreal…like a dream. She coughed as she choked a little. _Two thousand years_ …The water rivuleted down her back, her calves. She wanted badly to stay and stand there but couldn’t bring herself to. Working up a furious lather, she began to roughly scrub her body. She couldn’t use water like this- _the water they had so treasured._

Twisting the knob hard, she cut off the stream and dragged down a hanging taupe-tone towel. Belying its coarse appearance, the fabric was soft against her skin and she rubbed vigorously against already rising goose-bumps. The last time she’d used something like this was when she was a kid. Shouldering open the stall door, she wrapped the towel close around her. She held up the clothes that had been laid out folded on the chair then pulled them on, frowning-the shirt was too big and the trousers too tight. She sighed and, opening the door with one hand, she leant to adjust the heel of her boot. _Where’d they take my things…?_

The captain was leaning against the opposite wall, arms crossed. His eyes narrowed. “That was quick.”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?” She looked around, pulling her leg up behind her to level a kneecap. “Where are my clothes?”

“They’ve been burnt.”

“What?”

“Or at least they are in the process of being burnt-they were absolutely filthy.”

Her foot slammed down and she balled her fists. “You-!”

“Except for this.” He pulled out the strange, thick belt the soldier had given to him and threw it at her.

She caught the utility belt, glaring at him. _What’s with these morons?_ Her stomach roiled, bubbling beneath her abdomen and she put a hand to it, realising- _she was absolutely starving_. Her eyes flicked back to the man-his face was averted but he was watching her keenly out of the corner of his eye. She felt herself draw back slightly…he looked so intent and repelled at the same time. Her instincts were screaming- _Creep…creep._ Suddenly, her gut let rip a thunderous growl and she felt her whole torso tremor. “Oh!”

He turned to the remaining guard standing a little way off. “Get her something to eat.”

“Yes sir! Ah-there’s only sweet meats and venison in the kitchens-”

“What-? Bring bread and water.”

“Uh, sir-”

“Servants’ quarters should have plenty.”

“Of course, sir.”

She scowled. _I don’t like meat anyway._ Turning her back on him, she started opening the pouches on her belt…it didn’t seem like anything was missing-the penknife was still there at least. Passing it under her clothes, she fastened its clasps securely around her hips. The stone walls were slabs of ice against her shoulder-the thin shirt she was wearing was useless. She was to see a king-what kind of king kept his people cowering inside walls? That time…the only reason they were fighting was because the titans had _attacked them_. Otherwise, they were content to stay here…to _rot_?

“Oi, food’s here-eat in there.”

She turned. The guard had returned with a plate piled with large, dark rolls. Her eyes widened as she looked at the tankard in his hand-it was huge. _All of that’s water…_ She went forward to him, eagerly.

“I can have all of this?”

He looked at her bewildered. “Err, yes.” He pushed open a door. “Here…” A long, mahogany table careened before them and he set it down on its surface. Levi followed behind them and the guard saluted making his leave. She sat on one of the high chairs, looking down with ravenous eyes…bread? _It’s nothing like the flat loaves at home._  Picking one up, she tore it in half once then pushed it into her mouth, barely wincing at the flakes scratching her throat as she swallowed-she was too hungry…

“You eat like an absolute _pig_ -it’s disgusting.” The captain’s arms were still folded, face contemptuous. _Pig?_ He looked down at her and she felt herself bristle again in annoyance. _Damn it…he’s got a few inches on me after all._ Her nails dug into the loaf.

“Shut up…this way it’ll take longer to digest-I won’t need to eat again till tomorrow.”

An eyebrow shot up and he felt his arms loosen. _What are you-a snake?_ She didn’t seem to have any manners. His jaw twitched.

She squeezed the bread roll. _This thing…it’s so hard_. “Besides, I haven’t eaten for over two thousand years.”

“Is that so?”

She looked at him sideways. Ah well, she didn’t really care what he thought but his expression had been annoying her for a while now. Underneath his apathy, she could see a niggling doubt and now he was wholly disbelieving. She supposed she’d even surprised herself by how nonchalant her tone was. _You haven’t taken a shit either…_

“Then where would you say I cropped up from?” She shoved another roll into her mouth.

He shrugged, face indifferent. “I don’t know and I don’t really care-right now I’m wasting time watching a gluttonous brat stuff her face when I could be finishing up the last of those titans.” He moved to the door. “Hurry up-the geezers want to see you.”

“Who’s a brat?” She swallowed painfully. “I’m over two thousand years old, you know.” She was faintly amazed by how much he’d managed to piss her off already…but then she had never thought herself a forbearing person. And yet somehow, she didn’t feel like retorting further. Downing the huge, tin mug of water, she tapped its base then turned it upside down. She still couldn’t get over how much there was…

“Now.”

He turned and stalked into the hallway. _Two thousand years_ …His brow creased… _what the hell…?_ Right now, anyone could see she was raving but as much as he wanted to dub her a simple lunatic, there was no doubt that the superiors had been waiting for her arrival. The shattered crystal glittered in his mind-s _he’s from outside the walls._ Her dishevelled white hair, deep tan skin, the gold hoop in her ear. He frowned. Her eyes…they were strange to say the least-somewhere between a cat and an owl’s. He didn’t like the expression in them-like she didn’t give a damn about anything or stopped doing so a long time ago.

He started and almost froze, shooting a glance over his shoulder. She was following at a purposely slow pace, face surly. _That was foolish_ -she could’ve made a run for it. Clicking his teeth violently, he tutted-he had let his thoughts consume him. “Pick up the pace-they’ve got your box, haven’t they?”

She looked up sharply then quickly cast her eyes back down to the ground. “It’s not their's to take-if I wanted, I could get it back.”

“Oh? What’s stopping you then?” He sneered slightly and she pursed her lips.

“I just ate-I’m full.” She looked away from him, pulling on long shirt sleeves. “And you’ve hidden my sword.” _This runt_ …she’d never met someone who ticked her off like this. “Besides I might as well see what the dogs in charge look like…in this kingdom of cowards.”

His eyebrows raised. _Cowards…_ One could say that but how would she know? However, it seemed her curiosity had been piqued-she wouldn’t try and escape now. They moved onto an adjoining footbridge and he watched her mouth fall open, face suddenly changing. She rushed to the side of the open walkway, nearly tripping. One of the many castle gardens extended below, shimmering in the late morning sun. She stretched, hanging dangerously far over the rail, feet straining.

“These-these are flowers…?”

Her face was turned away from him but her voice overflowed with amazed wonder. He frowned-everything about her was throwing him off.

“I’m not joking-at this rate you’ll be garrotted. Get here now.”

Falling back, she turned, looking at him blankly. “Ok.”

Her tone had lost its edge and she fell into step beside him still gazing back at the greenery, an almost anguished expression on her face. He looked at her warily-her eyes had completely altered. They were glowing…her pupils were big, too big, as if she was drawing in as much of the garden as possible, trying to devour its light. His brow furrowed.

“Hey.” He snapped and they became pinpricks again. She scowled and he stopped at an arch preceding two lofty, baroque doors. “We’re here.”

She walked ahead of him and reached up slightly to grasp one of the stout handles. _What do these geezers want?_ Her hand moved to her belt. _Whatever…I’ll just get the case back…then my sword and then…_ Well, she’d think about that later.

He watched her heave open the great doors. For her small size, she didn’t act like a kid, or even a teenager…the way she spoke-like a weathered, old labourer. Other than the fact she had supposedly burst out of a giant crystal, she was the strangest person he’d ever laid eyes on. The great sword, cleaving titans like paper, flashed through his mind. That was with Hange now. He wondered what would’ve happened if she hadn’t been disarmed from the beginning, what other beings had been slain by the thing. That…

_That wasn’t a sword for killing humans._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism~.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	11. Disclosure

  _She knew their vital points._

Levi positioned himself square in front of the exit, lest she should try make an unprecedented dash for escape. He wasn’t afraid of unsheathing his blade once more-something he wasn’t confident the standing wardens would do immediately. He had made up his mind that this girl was dangerous or, at the very least, not someone to let one’s guard down near.

He watched her walk forward as she ignored the discrete gestures of attendants to stay back, to not advance so far. The congregation of nobles sat surveying her and he set his jaw, scanning their faces. They looked intensely bored, as if this was an ordeal, tiresome. A scowl began to form between his eyes. Why wasn’t there more of a commotion? They had demanded her presence as soon as news of her arrival had reached them yet here they were acting as if this was simply protocol. _Admin._

Nina stopped short a few metres from the raised podium, her eyes flicking over the group gathered there. _No women_. She met the twinkling gaze of a bald-headed man. Pixis. _He said he knew dad, huh._

“Nina Were. We would-”

“You have something that belongs to me.” She drew herself up as much as her aching ribs would let her. Their expressions became surprised, frowning.

Levi hummed faintly. _Oh?_ This girl didn’t seem to realise or care about who she was speaking to _…She could be hanged tomorrow_. He watched her hand slip behind her back and into what he realised was a small pocket or rather one of many lining the belt. _Ah…_ He should’ve confiscated it back then although there wasn’t much she could do now-not with anything tiny enough to fit in there.

_Nina._

One of the men stepped forward. He was large and flushed, his belly seeming to take two steps ahead of the rest of him. “If you mean the trunk-it belonged to your father.”

“Well, it’s not yours.” Her heel began to tap the ground. “Give it over.” They all noticeably stiffened, stunned. A sudden wheezing, chuckle resonated through the eaves.

“Pixis! She’s nothing like her father!”

A small, wild-haired man moved out from the cluster, grinning, hands clasped behind his back. She looked over his tiny stature with a perplexed glare and shifted slightly as he came towards her-he was a dwarf practically. A _nd I thought grouch face back there was as short as it gets_.

“What’s this? A silver mop…” His pale, green eyes glinted with a faint madness as he shoved his face within centimetres of hers. “Twinsies!”

Her neck twitched. She was fast reaching the end of her tether but she didn’t particularly want to blow a fuse here. Who exactly would she rage at? This nutter? There were too many people and most likely they’d use it as an excuse to physically restrain her again. _You’re outnumbered here, stupid…_

She looked warily into the bright, unblinking eyes, at his electrified snowy locks. She supposed he’d just drawn her attention to something. Her hair was hardly helpful in terms of one’s concealment-she stuck out even more than she did already. It would be a problem if she was to escape this place…

“Nina. This is the king of our land-the ruler of humanity.” The bulbous man who had first spoken once again motioned. Her eyes turned to the man slouched in the large chair. She blinked.

“I don’t see what that has got do with the case.” Her voice was slow, deliberate. The king’s expression did not change-the round man exploded.

“You bare-faced hussy! You could be cut down where you stand!” He roared, spluttering. She watched him unperturbed but tightened the grip on the pen-knife behind her.

“Vogt calm yourself, my lord-she’s just a little tired.” The tiny man chided, skipping back onto the podium.

Lord Vogt clenched beefy fingers. “But this-! Her father had manners at least!”

“Her father was too quiet.” The smaller man snickered and moved to reveal the case behind him in full- it was almost three times his height. “Look-why don’t we open it and see.” He smiled, eyes glinting. “It is not dissimilar to the one he brought with him.”

With a slip of marble against wood, two tables were brought from behind and joined together before her. Attendants heaved the case onto the surface and he beckoned her forward with small, hooked hands. An abrupt quietness took hold of her and felt her head spin slightly-she realised she’d been holding her breath for some time now.

“I’m afraid this is beyond us.” He tapped the spin lock and she moved forward, throat catching slightly. _I don’t know the combination._ Digging into her belt, she popped out a small phial of acid and released some drops onto the bolt, eyes smarting against the ensuing corrosive gases. The lock fell apart and her fingers slid underneath the lid, flinging it open. And she caught her breath.

Nestled inside were great, shining silvers, matte curves, hulking handles and grip-pieces.

 _Dad’s tools. Dad’s weapons_.

"Please bring them forth."

“This is a heat-seeking crossbow. These are blue-prints for generators.” Her voice was flat as she lifted out each item and moved stiffly to place it on the tables. “This is a torch.” She knew she might as well be speaking another language. _Language…?_ But she had to, had to force words out of her mouth before she could only do nothing but scream. Finally, the dark leather of the case’s bottom met her fingers.

“O-oh…”

Her hands moved jerkily towards the slim, glossy card encased in a sleeve at the base. Her father’s ID. She picked it up, fingers tremoring. His face smiled up into hers and she felt the tremors spread up her arms into her shoulders. _O-oh…_

“Nina Were.”

She raised her head slowly, sluggishly, as if she was moving through thick mud.

“I suppose you understand we need to keep your origin a secret.”

“No. No, I don’t.” She slipped out the card and curled it into her fist. “But I suppose _you_ understand it’s not just me you’ll have to keep quiet.”

They began to murmur, voices rising in a low, aggravated drone. Vogt became tomato-like and opened his mouth to gripe when the white-haired man looked up from the tables of her father’s equipment. “Ah well, no matter…” He whipped round. “Your majesty?” The King’s eyes shifted to her then to Pixis.

Pixis moved forward. “I don’t see what good hiding anything will do now, especially with Eren’s emergence…as long as not too many civilians get wind of exactly how she arrived. Can she not remain in the same manner her father did?”

The king remained silent and she looked at him, flickers of annoyance beginning to eclipse her disorientation. _This is the ruler of humanity…no wonder they’re in the situation they’re in now…_ She wanted to laugh. _It’s a bloody joke._

She slipped the ID card with the penknife into the belt, frowning. They had met her father in exactly this way. She studied the king’s face-he didn’t look particularly old. How old was he when her father had arrived? _When did Dad arrive?_ Pixis and the small man seemed old enough and the large red-faced bloke too…

She turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. “My liege, we’ll now take her to the meeting.”

The little man trotted past her. “They’re going to wring you out.” He muttered. “Did the same to your father.” Her eyes followed him, bewildered. An interrogation?

Levi came beside her a scowl set deep into his face. “Move it.” He bit back a growl. His squad and he had been made to come all this way for an audience of less than half an hour with barely anything revealed about this girl. And it seemed she was no longer a captive. Did his shit-for-brains majesty know what she was capable of? And her father…? Who was this man who’d arrived before her that no one had ever mentioned? Levi stalked ahead, lips pressed together. This meeting had better answer those questions and more, oh much more.

 

The room they were in now was dark despite several high, slender windows. She was made to sit at the head of a long, oak table, rows of officials lining either side. Opposite her, sat at the other head, was a tall, fair-haired man. He looked at her intently, fingers knitted in front of him. Closest to him sat the spectacled woman from before-Hange. One of the other men motioned to a scribe and turned to face her. The questioning began.

“Nina from how long ago did you come from?”

“Two thousand and sixty three years.”

“Ah good-as is similar to your father.”

“Nina do you know anything about the origin of the titans?”

“No, they were there when we resurfaced.”

“Resurfaced?”

She stopped short, perplexed. _Didn’t dad tell them all this already? Why are they acting like this is news to them…?_

“We were underground for a very long time-there was a war…we couldn’t live above the surface.”

“Oh…well, then…”

_They don’t know what I’m talking about…how could they…?_

“But the titans were there?”

“Yes.”

“And you fought them.”

“Yes, I…” She remembered the crop-circles. “I’m pretty sure they were only on our continent-the rest of the world…was fine...” She tailed off, temples pulsing.

 _But now they’ve spread…how? Where had they been coming from?_ Why hadn’t her people done more to find out? They’d taken over everything and here was the last remaining spot…wherever the hell _here_ was _…I can’t even estimate where I am…_ She kicked herself mentally. Why hadn’t she listened to Nor’s stupid ramblings about stars? _Nor_ …If the whole earth was covered in titans…

“Then where did they go-?!” Another official sat up, incredulous. “They weren’t here up until just over a hundred years ago, when we were pushed back into here…as the last humans.” He looked at her, expectant, disbelieving.

“I don’t know…” She held her head. _That can’t be right…_

“They must have disappeared…then reappeared…”

“What?!”

“Then something wiped them out?”

_Huh…they weren’t here…? Until a century ago…what?_

“Wiped them out?!”

 

They fell silent, stunned for a second. _If only they knew what!_

 

“Well, they returned.”

“Nina, do you remember what happened?”

“Why?” She looked at them irritated, bewildered. “Hasn’t dad told you all this already?”

“We need to check your account against his. Answer the question, please.”

She swallowed, her anger swamped by confusion. “Well enough…they infiltrated our base, all of them…” She remembered the titans digging, digging. “…the fire titan came and then it was all over.”

“Ah, the fire titan-I’ve seen it.” Pixis’ chair scraped as he sat forward.

 _What-!_ She jolted hard in her seat, throat seizing. Two or so others nodded grimly with him.

“Please, Nina-carry on.”

She stared at the Pixis, eyes wild then wrenched her eyes back to the scribe-she couldn’t speak. The fire titan!? Dad? It came after him? _Why? Why? What…?_ _How did it cross that many oceans…? This is Europa._ She looked around her… _it must be….after all there’s no one…not a single person here…like me._

“A-after that, I don’t know…my father must have sealed us into those huge things…?” What was that…rock?

“The orbs.”

“What are they?”

“Oh come on-he didn’t tell you that, even?” Her heel began to beat the leg of her chair _. How the hell should I know?_

She looked at their stoic faces and sighed raggedly. “I have no idea…it must been one of my father’s inventions…an escape pod of some sort…” But why…? When they had been doing so well….did he know that something would happen?

“It came out of a titan?” The younger officials stirred.

“Most likely they could see the humans inside and attempted to eat them.”

“Ah.”

“Of _course_.”

“This isn’t new information-her father was encased in the same when he arrived in 830.”

“His split out of a titan’s stomach on a corps expedition.”

“But what are they-?”

“That doesn’t matter right now.”

“But-you didn’t see that thing-! Reports say it destroyed all titans within a ten metre vicinity!”

“Her father’s did the same-it was the only reason we were able to bring him into the walls intact.”

“Yes-however-,”

“What remains of it?”

“Err…”

“Forget it-we cannot understand the technology of the ancients.”

Pixis placed his hip flask on the table, ignoring the influx of disapproving stares. “Ah…don’t worry it was just digging into my side…” He smiled fleetingly at a dubious Anka beside him. “Say, her father told me this-her kind stopped at nothing.”

Nina stiffened _. My kind?_

“-soldiers...fighters? They used to swallow explosives whole so that if they were eaten-with no hope of escape-they could detonate it-”

“-destroying the titan…good grief.” They murmured in shock.

“To think even they couldn’t defeat the titans.”

“Terrible…”

Nina’s fingers dug into her knees. “That was a long time ago. It all stopped when the hunters came and we didn’t need to do that anymore-”

“Ah yes, the three hunters-your father always had the best tale to go with a drink.”

“Just what kind of people were they?”

Pixis’ eyes glittered. “Monsters. Absolute, extraordinary monsters.”

Her brow crunched and she felt her toes crack in frustration. _How can you say that-you weren’t even there you shitty old man._ She quickly sat on her hands as the urge to leap across the table seized her, eyes flicking to the guards by the door. _Windows are too high…I can’t do anything now-not here, not yet._ But-!

“You’re wrong.” She hardened her voice. “Desperate. _That_ is what we were-in a way I think we were worse off than you-we were always-” She coughed. “-so close…so painfully close but we fell short again, again and again-can you blame them? For going mad?” _What do you know? What the hell do you-_ She realised she had half-risen out of her seat and slumped down. _The desert…had been turning green…the alpha continent had been coming back to life…why…_

“Why call them monsters? They simply wanted to survive, just like we do now-maybe you feel incompetent in comparison.” Levi had crossed his arms, chin tilted slightly in contempt.

They fell back and Pixis scratched his shining head. Nina looked sidelong at Levi-his eyes were almost closed.

“I think that is all for now.”

The man opposite her next to Hange rose. “Nina, thank you for what you have told us-please, do not see us as a threat in any way.”

She looked at him surprised for a moment-his face was serious, earnest. _He’s not like them…_ Levi cleared his throat, almost snorting.

 _We’re_ the threats…?

They all looked at her in wonder for a moment-this girl with a million invisible scars. They could almost see the countless battles in her surly, burning eyes. _What is this?_ They thought. _Again?_ They never dreamed this would happen again. _What the hell is this…?_

 _What the heck is it with these geezers?_ She stood up, chair grating. “Where’s that kid? The one who can become a titan.”

“He is secure.”

“He’s locked up?” She frowned-she supposed he was dangerous but why weren’t doing more to utilise him more quickly? With someone like that, possibilities for an offense against the titans were endless. _Why aren’t you taking this chance?_

They filed out, murmuring, tucking notes into sleeves and casting her uncertain and distrustful glances. Levi went past her, sending her the most suspicious yet.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find Hange smiling hesitantly with the blonde man by her side. “You’re coming with me in a bit-this is our commander. Erwin, see she comes to the west rooms, will you?” The man nodded then then turned to her when Hange had disappeared into one of the dark halls.

“So now what will you do?”

She looked at him warily, thrown by his directness. “I haven’t the faintest…”

He blinked. “Ah-my apologies. I knew your father.”

“Right.” Her lids lowered. More stories about how strong he was, how strange he was _…is that all he was remembered for?_

“He was a very troubled man.”

Her head snapped up. “W-what makes you say that?”

“There was always something,” his hands moved from behind his back, “he was looking for but he didn’t know himself-one day he seemed to finally realise what it was…he wasn’t the same after that.”

“What-what was he-?”

“I don’t know-he couldn’t bring himself to confide in me.” His voice became distant and he looked down at her abstractedly. She had the same eyes but Maxim’s had always been unhappy, subdued. They had never flashed like this…except when he had fought.

Erwin steeled himself-he had no time to beat round bushes. “Nina. There was a time when I followed your father.” He forced her eyes to meet his, his face grave. “Now, will you follow me?”

She stared at him eyes wide then bowed her head, hiding her expression. “I-I don’t know…yet.” She knew what he wanted. Dad had joined this farce and he was asking her to do the same _. How can you expect that of me now?_

He closed his eyes. “I see. For now you can stay with the 104th cadets-they’re in the same position as you-the time for all of you to decide will come soon.”

She nodded absently and walked away, after a beckoning guard. His gaze followed her small figure and her father’s words passed through his ears once more. He remembered what he had said to him, the young, foolish stab in the dark, and how Maxim’s face had twisted in shock, anguish. For a second he had wavered, as if he wanted to tear off the weight of a planet, then he had become grim-

_“No! No…I don’t know.”_

He recalled how miserable his smile was, how he’d taken him by the shoulders and turned him to face the plains beyond wall Maria.

_“What do you see, Smith…? If you can see it, now’s not the time-keep it in…so that there’ll be something, someone left….”_

Hange sat surveying the items lying before her on the table, eyes rapt in anticipation. After watching Nina at Trost, the first thing that had come to mind was- _could it be that there are other humans? Who had survived and are fighting as we are…?_ It was clear that her style of combat was for nothing but engaging titans. Another stronghold? But then her true origins had been revealed. There were titans two thousand years ago…

The door opened and Moblit entered, Nina following behind him. “Sit there.”

Nina sat and watched as the faintly anxious-looking man moved next to Hange.

“Thank you, Moblit-can you ready the cart for when I’m done here?” He dipped his head, casting Nina a wary glance as he left.

Hange readied her pen, supressing a crow of excitement. She had examined the sword extensively, double-edged, all stone and metal had been futile against it including their own blades.  “What’s this?” She breathed pushing forward the great weapon.

“It’s a titan-hunting sword.”

“Hunting?”

“Yeah…”

“You hunted them?”

“No, we took them for walks and played dress-up.” Nina scowled.

Hange blinked at her for a second then laughed heartily. “Maybe I should try that…” She murmured, heaving the sword to the side.

“What?”

“And what about this?” She held up a fuel disk.

“Oh, that contains toxic fluid.” She put it down quickly and Nina leant back. “Not like you can open it anyway.”

Ignoring her churlishness, Hange held up the arm-piece. “This?”

“For scaling-if you want to get in the mouth or need a higher cut.”

Hange stilled. The mouth. Now that she had actually witnessed the act first-hand, she didn’t know what to think. _The jaws of a titan…_

“The way you fought…how did your people fall into such ways?”

“What do you mean…?” Nina frowned then it dawned on her. What they had seen must have looked crazy, mental…to _them_. “…we all fought like that, that’s just…what we did.”

“Then how did you withstand the temperatures-their insides are extremely hot, no?”

“Huh? Not really-back home they had about the same internal temperature as the dunes-the ones here are much cooler.”

Hange gritted her teeth to prevent her jaw from dropping and Nina shifted under her stupefied gaze. _She’s really trying to find out about us…why…? Any information is as good as useless with the technology they have now…_ She watched as she shook he head quickly and went to pick up a flash light.

She was questioned for the next hour, Hange stopping every now and then to scribble furiously on some parchment. Finally she swept everything into a crate. Nina put a hand on her sword.

“Oh don’t worry, you can keep that-I just want to look at these properly later. You’ll assist me then too, I hope?”

“Mm…” _I’ll be damned if I do._

As she was about to open the door, Hange suddenly leapt forward and caught hold of Nina’s face, squeezing her cheeks hard between her fingers.

“Wha-!” Furious, Nina grabbed her wrists and threw her off. “W-what the heck?!”

“Sorry! Sorry!” Hange drew back, face flushed. “Just making sure your real…” The windows of her frames glinted, “…and I’m not dreaming…you can sock me if you like-as payback.” She grinned.

Nina looked at her perplexed, fury quickly subsiding into incredulity. “No, thanks…I’ll save it for later…” She picked up her sword. “Now where am I meant to be going…?”

“Trost.” Hang began leading her down the stone corridors. “Where the 104th cadets are-they’re about to choose their legions.”

“Hmm?”

“There are three official divisions: the Military police, the Garrison and the Survey Corps-”

“Why three-don’t they all fight titans?”

“Oh, only the corps directly engage-”

“Then what are the rest for?”

“Well, the Garrison watch over and keep peace in the outer districts-”

“What? They need an armed guard for that? What’s wrong with the people?” _Don’t they realise there’s a bigger threat…?_

Hange looked back at her, confused. _It’s these walls…they think they’re safe…inside this fort_ …Nina shook her head. “Never mind…we only had one, that’s all…our police force were like tabbies…”

Hange's ears pricked, her pace slowing. “Oh? What kind of-?”

“So what does the last one do?’

“…they serve the king.”

Nina scratched her head violently. This was real…this was real…they had kings and nobles…they had pampered bureaucrats…this was straight out of the ancient history books…

“What will you do?” Hange looked at her sideways-Nina blinked. It was the second time she had been asked that today. “I mean there’s no real obligation for you to have anything to do with us…we probably could get you citizenship-”

“Huh?” Nina’s feet skittered against the flagstones. “Why would I want that?”

“It’s just-” Hange smiled ruefully. Why _would_ she want that? In this alien and strange world-where she is the only person of her kind…?

Nina raked back her hair. “Which one did you say fought the titans?” Her lids where heavy.

“The survey corps.”

“I see.” She shivered-she was freezing. “Say-do you have anything I could wear…? Like a jacket or something-”

“Oh, sorry-not at the moment.” Hange frowned-it was quite warm. “But there should be some horse blankets in the cart.” They’d come to one of the lesser exits of the castle, the late afternoon sun leaking through the narrow, peaked openings.

Nina’s eyes widened at the sight of the waiting horses and tentatively lifted a hand towards the closest one. Its tongue darted out as it tried to nuzzle her and she snatched it back.

“Equus caballus…a horse, this a horse, right?”

Hange looked at her bewildered. "Yes…it is. Don’t you-?” Nina looked at her, eyes shining in spite of her apprehension.

“I’ve…only in books…we didn’t-”

“Oh, yes…of course…” They didn’t have horses…? She realised a lot of things... _everything_ in this world must be very new…but then what did they use? Nina turned to her as if reading her mind.

“We had camels.”

 _What-_  ? “Camels?”

“It’s like a very tall horse…with a long, curved neck…um and a huge hump on its back…”

Hange’s eyebrows flew up-what she was describing sounded like a monster… "Wait! Here!” She tugged out a notebook. “Can you draw it?!” Her fingers tingled in anticipation- _a camel...A cam-el…?_ She thrust it to her. “Oh! And a pen-here!” Nina sat down and spread the book out open onto the floor.

“I’m gonna need another one.” She held up her hand.

“What?”

“Another pen…if you want it to be good.”

“Ah, ok…” _Huh?_  Hange produced a second pen and Nina began to draw.

 _She’s using both hands…_ She watched the pencil marks take hold of the paper and within minutes a drawing had been rendered. Nina returned the notebook and Hange took it from her, fingers quivering. It was indeed as she had described-a slender, curving creature with thick lips and long feathery lashes, a huge mound on its back. It wasn’t remotely like anything she’d ever seen before, even in the censored books of old age.

“You used these?”

“Yeah, those and the jeeps-my father...bred them…” Nina gripped the edge of the wagon. A wave of fatigue swamped her and she was suddenly very tired. Scowling, she drew into herself, throwing the pens back.

“Can we go already.” She snapped stepping onto the cart.

Hange closed the journal slipping it into her jacket.

“Right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism or anything else you'd like.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	12. Geyser

Penn leant against a wall, one eye on an incessantly fidgeting Hedda and the other on a large heap of cloth not far off from where they sat. The bundle shivered abruptly and a slim, brown hand slipped out then immediately shot back, fingers curling against the morning chill. He rubbed his temples, dazed. It was her again. The girl. She had arrived at the barracks two nights ago, rolled up fast asleep in horse blankets and had remained so ever since. And this morning she had finally woken up, the day they were travelling to Stohess. He didn’t know quite what to do with himself.

There was a rustle of fabric as a pale, ragged head appeared amongst the folds and stared with bleary, orange eyes in his vague direction. Hedda put down the handkerchief she was twisting in her fingers and caught her breath sharply. The head was joined by shoulders and the girls sat up, thrusting a finger into her ear.

“What time is it?”

Penn shifted, eyeing her warily. “Fifteen past five.”

“Fifteen…do you have hours?”

His brow crunched. “Huh?”

“How many hours are there in your days?”

He frowned at her in disbelief. _What kind of…?_ “Twenty-four…”

She yawned widely. “…good.”

Rolling forward onto her knuckles, she struggled up, blankets trailing off her shoulders and he saw she no longer wore the strange clothes they had first seen her in.

Hedda shook her head slightly as if from stupor and half rose after her. “….uh…”

The girl turned sharply and looked from him to Hedda, brow furrowing, expression faintly accusatory. “Who are you?”

Penn’s mouth fell open. She wasn’t really...there was no way-how dare she-? _Of all people-_ “Are you kidding me-?!” He sprung off the bench. “We’re the ones who should be asking you that-you little shit!” He watched her eyes stretch open and two veins emerged off the side of her neck. She began to move towards him, stumbling slightly and he scowled as she came closer.

 _This squirt-_ they had risked their lives to save her and here she was with no explanation, no acknowledgement-he didn’t even want gratitude, damn it. He glared down at her blank, upturned face then, with a jerk, felt his feet leave the ground as her hand shot out, caught him by the scruff and wrenched him up into the air.

“I said who are you.” Her voice was quiet and cracked faintly. Speechless, he stared and saw not anger in her face but pure and utter confusion.

“Uh-! I’m-…Penn-!” He swallowed hard against the press of her knuckles, fingers trying to pry away hers. “W-we saved you…”

 _We?_ She looked back and he felt himself slip out of her grasp. Hedda stood a little off behind, eyes fixed on the girl; she stepped forward falteringly.

“What…what is your name?”

Nina stared at her. “You…two…” She turned back to Penn, eyes wide. “You got me out of there, didn’t you?”

Penn moved next to Hedda and the crooks of his elbows fed her slight tremoring into his arms.

“Yeah…”

“This is Trost.”

 _Trost. She knows…?_ “Yes.”

“What are these?” She had moved further out into the compound. Before her were low, dark enclosures, piled with crumbling, charred heaps.

Penn cleared his throat as Hedda stiffened next to him. “Pyres for-”

“-bodies.” She could see blackened remnants of vertebrae, bones, a skein of once golden hair. What was left of the fallen.

She turned back and he flinched as her eyes burned into each of them in turn. They lingered on Hedda and she blinked.

“I’m Nina.”

Hedda stopped trembling. “Nina…” She cleared her throat, fingers straying to the bandage around her head. “Where did you come from?”

“Not here.” Nina drew up the blankets high, muffling her voice. “You lot are going up today, aren’t you.”

“To Stohess…aren’t you…?” Penn raked both hands through his hair. He was stupefied.

They had received no explanation for her presence or for anything else for the record-would she be joining them for enlistment? For what other reason could she have been brought here-but why? Who, _where_ had she come from-? He felt like bombarding her with questions but the gears of his brain turned sluggishly. They had dragged her out of a giant rock for God’s sake-he and Hedda had every right to interrogate her. But something was stopping him-the fall of her shoulders, the listless way she set a foot on one of the pyres, toeing a pile of human ashes, her eyes utterly exhausted in spite of their sharpness.

“What are we waiting for, then?” She kicked up a heap of cinders and Hedda gasped softly.

“There’s an assembly before we leave…at six…we’ve got around-”

“-thirty seven minutes left.”

He gave up then. He didn’t need this-not now. This strange, bizarre girl had done nothing but stir up more stress and bewilderment than he cared to bear-he no longer wanted to know who she was. His eyes moved to Hedda who watched silently as Nina shuffled away back to her corner. They had gotten up early and left the domestic quarters before everyone else. This wasn’t their place. The southern division of the one hundred and fourth would be here soon and they wouldn’t truly recognise a single face. The eastern division… _we’re the only ones left_.

So they’d been roped in, shoved out of the way. Hedda had insisted they bring _her._ “She won’t know otherwise.” She had murmured as she pulled the dozing girl’s sleeve, steering her to the compound. Another misfit.

A faint hum of voices and the stamp of feet drew their eyes to the entrance. Penn’s brows lifted in surprise as cadets filed in one after the other, forming pin-straight rows. Almost mechanically, he hurried after them falling into place at the end of the third line. He looked questioningly at a smaller boy with a close-shaven head, next to him. “Isn’t the briefing at six?”

“Not by Shadis’ book.”

“He runs thirty minutes ahead of everyone else.” The girl next to him muttered.

Penn suppressed a gulp. He had heard of Keith Shadis’ reputation and how proficient the southern division had become under his command _. Most likely that’s why so many of them survived._

There was a sudden hush as the commander entered. Penn moved his head fractionally, scanning the faces for Hedda and saw her, with a faint alarm, drag Nina up and into line. _Idiot._ The cadets tensed, unease permeating the air as the Shadis took position at the head of the first row.

“MORNING, CADETS.” He bellowed, daybreak sun sending blinding shards off of his shining head.

“ _MORNING, SIR!_ ”

They gritted their teeth in preparation for the anticipated onslaught. There wasn’t a briefing where some kind of mass verbal assault didn’t ensue. It certainly seemed, judging by his face that today was no exception, even after all that had happened. They stood miserably, warily-who would be this morning’s victims? His lips were pressed together grimly as he strode deliberately down the line and they shifted, apprehensive under his silence. He halted sharply, stopping in front of a mousey-haired boy. Some closed their eyes, steeling their eardrums.

“Aric, you’re jacket is out-turned.” And he stepped past.

Their eyes flew open in shock and a number of jaws dropped.

He carried on, hands crossed behind his back. “Sasha-you better have eaten well-you won’t be getting anything till sundown.”

“Yes! Yes, sir!”

“Connie, it seems you’ve finally gotten the hang of where your ticker is.”

“Sir!”

“Daz-don’t look so miserable-you’re giving me the creeps.”

A collective sigh left their lips and their shoulders un-stiffened. A grateful sob sounded muffledly from the back and the formation lines rippled, loosening. Shadis sighed. Young soldiers thrown into hell so soon. No, he would not give them anymore today or for a while yet. He slowed as he moved past Penn. There should be another-a girl. His eyes found Hedda. The only survivors of the eastern division. _Siblings, huh_.

His eyes fell on the figure next to her, stooped and swathed in blankets. He felt his jaw titch, neck hairs bristling. _What-a third survivor?_ He had been given no other names. _What an imbecile._ He strode towards the offender. _Asleep? At a time like this-_ what-? Where they one of the deserters? All had been pardoned but _he_ would not let it go wholly unpunished. Even if they were not guilty of such, to be sleeping so carelessly-no this was not to be tolerated…besides he still had a reputation to keep up.

The cadets turned their attention to the figure, seeming to only just register the new arrival.

“Who?”

“Oh, it’s her…”

“The one that came a few days back.”

No one had actually seen her and she was obscured by blankets now. Their necks strained, curious.

“Still sleeping…?”

“Bloody hell…”

“Shadis doesn’t look happy.”

“Shit.”

“He’s gonna give it to her.”

He halted before the offender and sucked air hard into his lungs before throwing his head back-

“AND WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?” He roared.

The blanket shuddered, and was drawn tighter around its inhabitant. “… _Tired._ ”

There was a unanimous intake of breath. Shadis growled and jerked back the blanket to reveal a dishevelled, white head and scowling, glowing eyes. And he froze, drawing back sharply. Then he turned.

“Come with me. Now.” And he walked rapidly towards the gates.

Nina frowned after him faintly for a few seconds then found her feet moving in his wake. Just now, this man had looked at her as if he had seen a ghost…besides, she wanted quiet and was beginning to feel the many eyes boring inquisitive holes into her. So she followed him, too weary and sick of it all to care. They murmured in astonishment and he halted at the exit.

“Get your sorry asses to the carts-you’ve got a long ride ahead!”

 

After about five minutes of brisk walking and sharp turns they had returned to the building she had been brought to nights before. Entering, he turned and unlocked the door of what seemed to be an office crossed with a kitchen of sorts. The door closed behind her and he kicked out a chair moving to a ramshackle stove.

“Sit.”

She almost collapsed into the seat and peered dazedly at the large pot of water that was coming to boil. _Idiot…you can’t use all of that…that’s-_

 _That’s a whole week’s worth…_ she tried to struggle up but found her limbs heavier than lead. Then she stiffened as the scent filtered into her nostrils.

This smell…

How…how...this smell…

_Cinnamon?_

He lowered himself opposite her and without a word, slid the large mug towards her quaking hands. After a millisecond of hesitation she snatched it up, spillage branding her skin and she poured the contents into her throat, gulping, gasping and then they came-

The tears.

Oh, they came and she wept and wept as they seared out of her sockets like tongues of fire and her chest convulsed, racked with guttural weeping. All too soon the drink was consumed, evaporated in the heat of her despair and she slammed it down.

And he _re-filled._

She began to sob in earnest now and she cried for-for her- _father_ , the base, the humans-the titans, the titans, the titans.

And she realised that never before had she felt such agony-never had she endured a pain even half of what ripped through her now-any vestige of tears had long left her after that day-and she hadn’t let past a single one since. How many years….how many years?

Two thousand and…? Why had she not died yet? Why wasn’t she dead now? Oh how violently she wished she had perished with the base, crushed by the jaws and feet of behemoths.

_Dad…Dad-why did you leave…where did you go..?_

Gradually the torrent ebbed and her sobs weakened into muffled snivels. Shadis had averted his face from her torment and turned to her now, jaw set.

“You done with the waterworks?”

She nodded, nose-dripping and pushed the mug back to him _. How…did he-_

“That was your dad’s-left it here…to be honest I didn’t think it was still drinkable.” He looked at her, face expressionless. “That coulda done something nasty to your insides…”

She shook her head, almost laughed. “The bark doesn’t age…”

“That so? Well, he never told _me._ Couldn’t get enough of the stuff.”

Nina looked at him, eyes wide. _You kept it…all these years…_ “Who-what are you called?”

“Shadis. Served alongside your father then above him as his captain.” His expression became grim. “I saw the creature that took him-that…was no titan.”

She felt her throat seize up again. “No…it is-that’s just…-” She shook her head. “Listen-what happened.”

Shadis’ face became haggard. “A true demon…year 835-you’re father had just re-entered human territory-he used to do this bonkers thing-go out on his own. They gave up trying to stop him…always used to come back unscathed…bloody hell…” he passed a hand over his eyes.

She started. _Solo missions…here?_  “Ok--then?”

“It came over wall Maria…like a swarm of bees-but dark, huge…” His eyes had become hollow. “And it went straight for him… _but he knew_ -knew what it was and he rode back out immediately-

Her mouth slackened. _No…no he didn’t really try-_

“And he never returned.”

 _How could he…?_ _No one, no one could take on that-that monster and live._ She began to shiver. Shadis watched her and she saw behind his motionless face utter wonder, disbelief. He rose. “Before we go, I’ll show you this. Come.”

 

More twists and turns through cobbled streets and they stood before a tiny squat building-there couldn’t have been more than two rooms inside. Shadis unlocked the door, toeing it wide open, then pressed the key firmly into her hand. He didn’t look at her. The room was large in itself, taking up the whole front of the structure. Piles of sealed boxes were stacked engulfing the whole of the east face with a huge multi-drawer chest stood at the west. A dust-blanketed table stood in the centre strewn with piles of yellowing parchment, calcified ink.

“This is was his first place…before he moved into the fancy quarters up in Stohess.”

“R-right.”

Shadis passed a knuckle between his eyes. “Gave him his own division-”

“…What?!” Nina spun round to face him. “B-but why...” She was stunned, disbelieving.

“Hell, if I know-just as shocked as the rest of us. You could hardly call it military-it was more of a mashup between that and all the techy stuff-king backed it so it stayed afloat somehow.”

Her knees jarred and the ceiling suddenly seemed very close. “Excuse me? His own what-? Are you telling me-I thought you said he served in that other thing-the corps?”

I don’t know.” Shadis had become subdued. “It was affiliated with the technical departments of all the other three divisions. Medics too.”

She exhaled tremulously through her nose. “He did this…alone?”

“No. It wasn’t just your father-there were others-”

“Where are they?”

“…some disappeared-the rest up and went to the industrial city-but you know, the stuff your father came up with- most of it was a load of crap, impossible in our time, absolutely ridiculous.”

Her lids lowered and she rubbed the base of her neck. _Always, he was always…like that…_

“And absolutely amazing.” Shadis’ eyes shone. Nina looked at him in surprise and she realized- _this man…fought alongside dad and...respected him._

She moved towards the work-table, fingers sending up plumes of dust as she rifled listlessly through the papers. A million different plans and blueprints dotted with his sprawling hand. Her hands found a tightly folded leaf. On it was a sketch and she caught her breath. It was--a plane? Well, barely but still she smiled tearfully as she brought the diagram up to the light.

_NINA’S JET_

It was in the style of structures from one of her father’s books; a man from ancient times-Vinci? _Tarpaulin wings…_ what was the framework? She squinted at the words and inhaled sharply-wood? Oh, but he was here then-here everything was made of wood, the doors, carts, window frames. Even with the prospect of never seeing her again, he…she covered her eyes, slipping the layout into her pocket.

“We’re leaving.” Shadis leant against the door frame.“Let’s go.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE TO READER: If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	13. Calling

The building before her stood in stark contrast to the close, two-room hut her father had occupied in Trost. She slipped in, a sigh of relief escaping her lips as she noted the empty bureau. _Double doors, straight ahead._

She made for the large entrance, sound of bustle and urban clatter quickly receding into a muffled hum as she moved further into the cool interior of the third military brigade station. Slotting in the key Shadis had provided,  she raised her eyebrows faintly at the emblem branded on the plaque. _His own division, huh_ – she sniffed, toeing open large slabs of mahogany as she entered the gallery.

“Took you long enough!”

“H-huh?!” She started, near crushing her foot in the towering doors.

The voice’s owner bounced off the low table he’d been perched on, landing cat-like onto the flagstones. Nina blinked then frowned – it was him. The odd, little man from the castle.

He shuffled towards her arms crossed behind his back and she half-raised a foot in preparation to shove him away – she didn’t _particularly_ want to be nose to nose with him again. He cocked his head in silence for a second, electrified locks floating with static before he drew himself up to the full length of his meagre height. She felt her shoulders loosen then tense again as his hand shot out in front of her, torso snapping forward in a short bow. _The hell._

“Felix. Felix Schwarz.” He bounced upright once more, lips pulled into a wide grin. “So you found the hole!”

She looked at him, completely perplexed. “What?”

“Never mind.” To her surprise, she flinched as he stretched to pat her shoulder. “Don’t get too sucked in, eh? Eh?” And with that he trotted out, back into the cool of the preceding hallway.

She looked after him for a second before shaking her head and turning back to the gaping room. It was far larger, far better lit than the first, a vast skylight flooding the space with light. Almost all walls were occupied by imposing glass cabinets and her eyes widened as she registered their contents. She moved towards the one nearest to her, peering inside in disbelief. Similar to the others, it held several large transparent jars. Inside it were… _prosthetics?_

Her palms pressed against the glassy surface, her breath misting, clouding her vision. She drew back then swallowed as she began to make her way round the perimeter. Appendage replacements, skin grafts – all expired. Her brow twitched – organs _even_. And this? Feet like lead, she halted before the last three cabinets – robotics? She raked a hand through her hair as she surveyed the burnished mechanic limbs. Dad was making human parts…for soldiers…Her mind flashed back to the crest on the doors. A tree… _he actually joined them_ … _Dad?_

She turned to the workbenches and her breathing snagged momentarily. Test tubes…an incubator – What? _Syringes_. She forced her hands to remain still as she held up a vial. Vaccines. Like the ones he’d always made. _W-what…why - there’s no disease here._ As if reflecting the light, a pile of abandoned sketches flashed in the corner of her eye. She sifted through the stark bleached papers, brow furrowing deeper and deeper as the outlines, then base of the plans materialised before her.

A sword? She narrowed her eyes at the name footing each page: **_Wasserbrun._** _A blade that produces water? The hell was he playing at…?_ Almost mechanically, her fingers continued rifling, bewilderment turning into complete confusion. Slowly but surely, all the blueprints were shifting from weapons of combat to devices for capture – _these would never have killed a titan – what was he thinking?_ She let the sheets fall from her hands, a ragged sigh escaping her nostrils as she backed away from the benches and –

“Uh-!”

She caught herself just in time, heels sending the obstacle skidding. It was one of a large group of cloth-covered mounds. She lifted a corner off another, throwing off its shroud before her jaw slackened and she clamped a hand to her mouth. _A wing. The jet-he was making the-_ her fingers gripped the light beach framework, knuckles blanching. What...

What the hell.

Is this it? Is this what Dad was doing-? Playing nurse in a stupid new lab, tinkering around with stupid, pointless plans he- _he didn’t even know if I was coming – why_ -. She scowled, shoving the structure away from her. Even after over two millennia stuck in the orb, even _after the titans had taken over the earth._ She closed her eyes making her way for the exit. Is this what it did to him? Did it turn him soft?

 

Weak rays of early noon sun bathed the town as she left the building. She could just book it now- _make a run for it._ She sighed, rolling some micro-chips around in her palms- _and where will you go, twit…?_ Besides she wanted to see how this strange civilisation worked, a world alien to her, yes, but a world that ran on _something_ nonetheless. She took a turn, following the echoes of raised voices to what she was sure must be some form of a market place. _I need cash._

She found herself in the thick of a bustling mass of vendors and shoppers, hailing goods and haggling alike. Perhaps it was somewhat fortunate the crowd was so thick – she only attracted a few stares before their owners were jostled along and away from her sight.  She stopped before a crooked stall, a shrivelled form stooped behind its front. If her intuition and the history books were accurate, this was likely what she was looking for -somewhere she could trade items for money.

“Hey, old man.” She tossed the chips onto the counter. “These worth anything?”

The owner pulled himself up, squaring thin shoulders. “What are they, dung pellets?” He squinted up at her through pale, milky eyes and she raised an eyebrow before scratching her ear. _He can’t see…blind…just like-_

She cleared her throat. “You spooked? It’s the yellow stuff.”  

“A lass, ay…” He scooped them up and shoved one between his teeth. “You’ve got nerve-”

He paused, pulling the chip out of his mouth, fingers skimming the dents his molars had left in its centre. Quickly his hands made a grab for the remaining chips, drawing them into his lap with a low chuckle.

“Nice…nice…don’t know what the hell these are, but solid gold’s solid gold. Now, how’d a young girl like you-“

“Can it, geezer – I’m not exactly sight-seeing.”

The man wheezed in mirth. “You’ve got an odd ring to your voice, my dear.” He brought out a tin box and began counting notes out of it. “Ain’t from inside Sina, are ya.”

“Damned if I was.” She took the money from him without another word and began to walk away.

“Nice doing business with yer!”

_Huh._

Shivers began to wrack her body as she left the shade of the marketplace– _bloody hell…gonna freeze at this rate…_ She made for a long patch of sunlight, cobbled path leading to-

“Oh...”

A river, or a canal, of some sorts, its surface rippling with impossible shades of blue and silver-ones she’d only seen skywards. _No…_ she’d seen something like this before…once. She found herself on the bank, hands gripping a post- her knees buckled and to her simultaneous relief and dismay she fell into an awkward sitting position, above waves sending up soft shards of light dancing along the tier. _You saw this…on that day…_ in the- valley? Her throat spasmed and she felt her stomach give a violent lurch. Stop.

Stop it.

_Better get a move on._

It was sundown by the time she found the headquarters.

 _‘You’ll find them in the drill field.’_ Shadis had muttered before leaving her in front of brigade’s building.  She hurried towards the already assembled recruits, cursing under her breath – she was late, dammit. Even from her position she saw that their faces were dark, worn as they stood lined in rows before a stage of some kind. On it was a single man addressing them all, his words becoming increasingly audible as she came closer.

“…with great losses after every mission we constantly suffer from personnel shortage. I’m not going to hide anything from you…”

She kept to the shadows, sidling past the back and into a small nook near the base of the podium. The surrounding torches sent tall tongues of flames into the evening air turning the congregation into a mass of tremoring shadows.

“…Listen to your heart very closely and ask yourselves if you are really prepared to sacrifice your life for mankind. That is all. Those wanting to join the other divisions are dismissed.”

Erwin watched as the outermost line began to disperse and walk away followed by the next and then another. He closed his eyes. Perhaps he’d overdone it…yet he had no choice but to convey them as accurately as possible the truth, the _reality_. He scanned the faces only just suppressing a wry smile. She wasn’t here - he didn’t expect for her to stay and deep down he knew, even from their brief meeting, she was nothing like Maxim.

She watched them leave, watched the recruits dwindle away until only a fraction _, twenty-one,_ remained. And they shook. Until she was sure she felt their trembling from where they stood. _What…what is this?_ Never had she been surrounded by such a thick atmosphere of fear. _And this is their choice?_ They chose this… _and what will you choose?_ The stone wall she was leant on dug into her shoulder blades. What will you do now that you’re here? Where you have absolutely nothing left, nothing to loose – where really…nothing’s changed-? _Those bastards…are still out there…_ the humans are still the prey. She stifled a bitter snort.

_Same old, same old, huh._

“So will you be able to die if you are told?”

She looked up, eyes widening. The man who was speaking- _It’s him. Erwin…Smith._ A commander…?

“We do not want to die, sir!”

“I see. Everybody…I like your expressions. You all have my utmost respect-this is the true salute.” He brought up his hand. “Dedicate your hearts!”

There was a resounding slam of fists on chests and she saw the remaining recruits had brought up their hands over their hearts, backs firm, feet rooted into the ground.

They…they weren’t going anywhere…The torch flames roared and crackled into the night.

_So what the hell are you going to do now?_

 

Erwin turned to the corps soldiers stood in the wings. Levi strode in from backstage, taking a water-gourd from Petra. “Looks like we missed the speech.”

Erwin raised an eyebrow. “It was the usual.”

“Oh, really.” Levi cast a glance at the meagre number of recruits remaining. “Looks quite threadbare in comparison to last year.”

“That was before the fall of Rose.”

“Hmm…” He turned to leave, motioning to Petra to accompany him. Erwin made to follow them when he halted at the uncertain skitter of footsteps. He looked back to find Nina stood behind him, hands firmly clasping her elbows. His brows raised...maybe she wasn’t so different from her father after all…He cleared his throat.

“Well? Have you decided?”

Her grip on her arms tightened as she dragged her eyes from the ground, barely shy of glaring at him.

“Yeah…yes.”

Almost involuntarily, he smiled. “Then where is your salute?”

She blinked, arms falling to her sides. After a moment’s hesitation she brought up her fist, placing it awkwardly over her chest.

“Wrong arm.” Erwin looked down to find Levi had come beside him, face slightly contemptuous despite its apathy.

Nina scowled at him, quickly switching to her right hand. “Whatever…I’ve joined, haven’t I?”

Erwin pulled his arms behind him and turned. “Yes.” He began to walk away. “Yes, you have.”

Nina stared after his receding back, expression blank in puzzlement. Just now he'd looked expectant, as if he knew she would enlist…sooner or later. A short, bright-haired female soldier came forward, a large scroll tucked under her arm. She realised she recognised her- from her capture at Trost.

_Her name’s Petra._

The woman held out a hand and when she didn’t take it, beckoned her forward off the stage with a smile. “Come on- we’ve got quite the ride ahead- don’t want to get there too late…”

 _Where?_ Nina swallowed then moved after her, raking numb fingers through her hair.

“Right.”

 

Levi watched them depart, a suspicious frown etched onto his features. He only shifted slightly as Pixis came up beside him, amusement bristling beneath his moustache. He looked at Levi; humanity’s strongest soldier wore an expression of intense boredom but his brooding was undeniable.

“Well! What do you think?”

“She needs reigning in.”

“You’re not wrong there.”

“Two thousand years…there were titans two thousand years ago.” Levi's frown deepened. “And her people fought.”

Pixis drummed on his flask. “They fought to annihilate. Her father told me so-it seems they were on the offensive throughout…they didn’t hide behind walls.”

“Her father, huh? Never heard of him.”

“It seems not many have. They share many things but she’s a lot less composed. Completely unpredictable, she is- fighting with the utmost skill one second, a sprawling wildcat the next-I congratulate you on securing her.”

“Don’t congratulate me, old man-Erwin did the sweet talking.” Pixis fell into step beside him as they made their way off the stage. “Besides that’s not exactly desirable in a soldier. Is it.” His voice was deadpan. 

“Aah…” The older man took a long postponed swig. “And you’ve also secured Eren….you’re quite good at handling monsters aren’t you?”

Levi fixed him with a disdainful stare.  “If you say so.”

Pixis chuckled, pulling another swig. “One more thing…you understand everything she’s saying don’t you?”

“What.”

The garrison commander walked ahead of him and towards the gates. “Her father was not nearly so proficient in speaking our language.” He turned his head slightly. “Took him a few weeks, but not her…”

Stars began to pierce navy skies, clouds engulfing and retreating in equilibrium from a sickle moon. Levi scowled after him.

Of course, _not her._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism/ anything you like :) ~.  
> Have a nice day! ❀


	14. Gather

Jean squinted against the early morning sun, remnants of a light film of perspiration beginning to evaporate from his neck. He heaved an irritated sigh, shifting his weight from one foot to another. Next to him stood a grumbling Connie, kicking up the dirt with his boot.

“What a waste of time-”

“Why the heck are we doing this- it’s cadets all over again.” Sasha huffed to his left, juddering exasperatedly.

“Tell me about it…”

“We’ve already gone through this, dammit-”

“What on earth’s he thinking-?”

“Don’t be so naïve.”

They all stood bolt upright, mouths clamping shut as they raised their fists in salute.

“Captain Levi, Sir!”

The captain stalked up the line. “You may have completed three years of training, you may have survived a titan invasion but all of that is nothing- _nothing_ once you’re outside the walls.” He paused at the end, motioning to a waiting Eren to come and join the assembly.

“Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir!”

Eren frowned, saluting hurriedly. _But how is this going to help…_

Levi strode back up the line, eyes narrowed. “Where’s the rabid girl.”

A flanking soldier stood to attention. “She’s in the cart sir…” Levi raised an eyebrow and the soldier dug an elbow into a large lump inside the wagon. “What do you mean rabid…?” He muttered, dragging Nina out. “She’s done nothing but sleep since she joined…”

“Oi, _mate_.” She threw him off in groggy irritation. “Watch where you put your hands…” She stifled a yawn. “Crap, my back…”

“Get in line.” Levi glowered.

She returned his scowl. “Alright…keep your knickers on.”

The soldier started angrily. “You little-!”

Levi held up a hand. “Change of plan-we’re doing combat drills.” He turned away. “Hand-to-hand-I’ll pick your pairings.”

Nina found herself facing Eren. She scratched her head warily; the last time she’d seen him was on the wall. This boy…was a titan? Could make a titan? _The hell does shorty think he’s playing at? Setting my up with a monster._  She watched as Eren awkwardly took stance, avoiding her gaze. Monster? Despite his discomfort, his jaw was set, hands steady. Her mind jumped back to his words at Trost, his vehemence. _Dammit, he’s one of them…that don’t know when to stop…_

“Umm…how about we take it easy.” She tried to rub the ache from her ribs, wincing absently.

“What?”

“I’m telling you to give me a break. I just broke out a two thousand year nap-look, I’ll let you win, ok.”

He stared at her in astonishment, then anger. “Just what do you think I am- you think you can take me down that easily?”

Nina paused in surprise. _Shit, now he’s offended_ “No…that’s not what-”

“Enough talking-let’s start already.” He raised his hands. She blinked.

 _His face._ His right fist came rushing towards her. _Is so determined._ She dodged the blow and blocked his left. _He does have strength_ … _nothing spectacular though_...His right fist again but this time she kept hold of it wrenching him towards and behind her. _But is that all he relies on?_ He growled and she took the full force of a kick on her forearm. _No…?_

 _What the hell-she’s been on defensive this whole time._ Eren shifted and swung again but this time he hooked his arm around her throat and slammed downwards, pinning her right arm to his body. _Got her!_ His other hand grabbed her left arm, yanking it behind her back and up into an arm lock. She didn’t move-he froze. _Wait…her arm isn’t stiffening-if I pull any more it’ll break- why-!_

“Sorry.”

She dropped down and he watched half-horrified as her arm completed a full three hundred and sixty degrees. She grunted faintly. “I’m a bit-of a weirdo.” She sprang back up off her heels, hands grabbing him by the throat and scruff.

He gasped. _“What the-?!”_ In a sharp pivot, she spun and threw him round, smashing him onto the ground.

A brief, searing pain jolted through him as he lay paralysed, unable to breathe for a moment. He couldn’t believe it-suppressing a groan, he propped himself onto an elbow. Just his luck- _what’s with all the girls around me?_

“You ok?” She was breathing hard, a little too hard.

“Yeah. Are you? What the hell did you do-that’s disgusting.”

She grinned ruefully. “That…Actually,” she rolled her shoulder, “I was quite lucky with that- popped back in itself while I was still engaged.”  

“Gross.” He almost wanted to laugh.

Panting, she pushed back her fringe. _He’s not particularly good but, just now…he really wanted to take me down._ She flopped down onto the dusty earth. _Doesn’t seem like the kind that can back off, the kind that die quickly…_ An abrupt lurch of her stomach sent her head between her knees. _Why…why the heck am I so damn tired?_ The nausea passed as quickly as it had come but her breathing remained ragged.

The subtle feeling of another gaze made her turn her head slightly. Another soldier, a girl with dark hair, was looking intently in her direction. _Oh…it’s her…from the wall._ She’d been at Trost with Eren…and one more… _the other boy_. Nina couldn’t read her expression-was she angry? Annoyed? She let her eyes return to the ground. _Well…if she wants some, I’m right here…_

“Hey-watch out.” Eren scrambled to his feet. “The captain-” She raised her head. Levi was moving towards them- _what does he want…_

“What are you doing? Begin the next round.”

Her lids lowered. “No can do-I’m sitting this one out-”

“You will resume. That’s an order.”

“That’s nice.”

Eren’s mouth fell open. _She didn’t-_

“Oh?” Levi strode forward. “I see.” He jabbed the toe of his boot against her head.

Her hand shot out, clamping round his ankle, eyes ablaze. “Oi.”

“To think you’d still be acting up.” He kicked his leg free. Nina sprang to her feet.

Eren felt himself take a step back from them. She was absolutely bristling-he had never seen such terrible eyes. He glanced at the Captain-his expression was faintly annoyed but there was an alarming glint in his gaze.

“I don’t see how you’re going to take that back.” She raked her hair back.

“I intend to.”

“Oh, right now? That’s fine by me-” She angled her body. Eren gawked. _There’s no way she’s serious…she doesn’t know what she’s doing-she’s going to be killed…_

“On one condition.”

“And what’s that?”

“You clean up.”

“What.”

“Your attitude is appalling and you have no discipline. Simply put, your respect for authority is non-existent. You entered the corps by choice- you go by our rules.” He looked down at her, mouth curled in derision.

She wanted to scream. _This it? Getting airs just because he’s got a few centimetres on me-_ who the hell-? _I don’t need this, not now._ She gritted her teeth. “You’re talking too much.”

“I am, aren’t I?” He absently removed a skein of horsehair from his lapel.  “Normally I would’ve thrown you out by now but you’re a different kind of little punk- I don’t care if you’ve been in a giant rock for two thousand years-what you need is a good beating.”

“Little?” She grinned slightly. Eren looked at her hands; slowly, she was cracking every knuckle.

The captain’s eyes became slits. “If you go down-you answer to me and I will have full control of you training.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Do whatever the hell you want-you have five minutes.” He turned and walked away.

Eren clutched his hair. “Nina have you completely cracked-?! You have five minutes to run, hide, apologise-do something-!”

“What are you yapping about-?” She pulled up her left leg, raising and lowering her left shoulder. “You’re just making me want to do it more.” Barging past him, she strode towards where Levi stood waiting. “I just wish that runt would stop talking down so much.”

 

Pair by pair, the recruits began to slow in their exercises. By the time she’d reached the small clearing, they’d all stopped. She clicked her tongue, only slightly irked- _trust him to want a crowd._

Levi removed his cloak, handing it to a disconcerted subordinate. “Sir…are you sure?” The soldier had never actually witnessed the captain fight but he’d heard plenty horror stories. This girl…was as good as done for.

“I’m going to demonstrate an important martial art sequence-she’s a volunteer.”

She positioned herself opposite him, rotating her wrists. _But damn it-why am I so out of it…? My legs, my shoulders…_ They felt like they had weights on them. She put a hand to her neck- her pulse thrummed… _too high._

She frowned. He stood without a stance, as if he was another observer. Well, it wasn’t like she had one either…

He lunged forward and she gasped, twisting her body out of range. _Too fast- he’s too fast_. She dodged another blow and felt her collar bones grate. _And what the hell’s wrong with me-_ she dropped down evading another flurry only to leap back up as his feet swung towards her. _I can’t even touch him, I can barely defend-_

She staggered as his foot connected with her rib. He quickly took advantage of her waver, slamming her into a headlock. He watched, faintly disgusted as she slid out of it, throwing him back.

 _Don’t bother going for her arms or legs…she’s far too slippery_. Making her hurt doesn’t seem to have much of an effect either. _No…_ the way to beat her was to draw this out…something he was not in the habit of doing but was certainly capable of. And it looked like he wouldn’t have to wait long at all.

Suddenly his feet shot out, knocking her legs from underneath her and she felt herself falling back- _What…_ her mind flashed back to her capture at the crystal _…he’s using my own tactics against me…_ she felt as if she was plummeting at snail’s pace, in slow motion _….what…I’ve lost…to him?_

She gritted her teeth- _like hell!_ Smacking her palms into the ground below, she pitched her body upwards, ramming her feet into his chest with all her remaining strength.

He flew.

She landed, pitching forward into an unstable crouch. _No way…No way, I did it_. Upon actually engaging him, she’d really thought that…maybe, she wouldn’t come on top this time. Eyes wide, she looked up only to see his feet smash off a tree trunk, bark splintering as he came hurtling back through the air.

She froze in shock- _what the f-_ he spun, slamming his foot into the side of her head and this time she flew, soaring until she landed hard, face scraping against the ground. Her legs snapped over her head and she came to a still, bent over herself.

… _oh God, I want to die…_

A deadly silence permeated the small glade they were in- no one dared make a sound. Levi dusted himself off, scowling faintly at stunned faces. “Alright show’s over- back to your routines.” They filtered away, murmuring in amazement, wonder. What kind of demonstration...

She flicked her legs back over, head resting on her hands. _You freaking monster_ … He came to stand over her, face impassive.

“Right. Here are your drills, starting today-two hundred up the castle, two hundred times down, a hundred laps round the grounds, twenty repitions of the endurance circuit-get this from Mike- then you can begin your regular training for the day.”

She turned her head warily. _He’s not gloating_

“-you’re a complete rookie- you haven’t even done cadets so you’re starting from the bottom.” With this he walked away, re-fastening his cloak. Her head spun. _This is the first time-_ Struggling onto her elbows, she sat up- _no one’s…ever taken me down like this._

She felt an unsettling wave of shame and the tiniest sliver of awe swamp her. _This guy could totally snuff me out-_ Rising, she gingerly touched the grazes on her face- _what was this feeling…weakness? Is this how it feels to be weak?_ She watched him resume his position near Eren and his new opponent-a smaller boy, with close-shaven hair.

 _This is bad._ She laughed faintly. _This is bad… there’s no way I can slack now…_

“Soldiers, regroup! Back to the castle!”

 

The sun was beginning to lower in the sky.

“What’s he got her doing?”

“Press ups?” Reiner untied the bridle from his mount. “Ah, that brings back memories.”

“Her form’s terrible…you’d think she’s never done them in her life.”

“But how long has it been…”

“She’s still going?” It was almost evening.

“Oh she’s started running now.”

“She looks awful.”

“Poor thing.” Sasha watched the struggling girl, remembering the suffering she’d endured three years ago. She tossed her reins to Connie. “Hey-take him in for me? I’ll just be a sec-”

Hurrying towards the training enclosure, she waited until Nina came nearer, leaning over the fence. “How yer holding up-?” She clamped her hands over her mouth, eyes widening. “Oh…I mean, how are you getting along…?”

Nina blinked, slumping to a halt. “One more lap and I’m dead.”

Sasha nodded, smiling ruefully. “I know how you feel…you’re the new kid.”

“New, yes- kid, no.”

“Oh…” She looked down at the panting girl.

Nina turned her head, hands on knees. “You are?”

“Sasha...Sasha Blouse.”

“Sasha…give me a hand, will you?” She straightened, tutting at the taller girl’s height. Well, it couldn’t be helped…she only needed a few minutes.

“Here.” She took a sudden leap over the short gate, tugging the girl’s hood up. “You take my place for a minute-”

“Wha-” Sasha protested, pulling back the cloak. She looked doubtfully after the girl’s pale curls. “W-wait…” But Nina was already halfway to the castle entrance, her own hood pulled up tight. Sasha sighed and began to jog.

Nina slowed as she neared the opening, keeping to the walls. Just as she was about to dash through, the sound of a pair of voices made her leap back and she staggered slightly, muscles spasming.

“Huh? Oh, it’s just one of the rookies.” _Dammit-_ she was seen.

The shorter man came out, hair grown in an odd, conical shape. “It’s her-the one who got her ass kicked this morning.”

She was caught in the middle – _these two…they were at Trost._

“Serve’s her right, daring to cheek the captain.” The other folded his arms, raking her with a scathing glare.

“Come on now, I’m pretty sure you’ve still got loads left.” Gunther moved to block the entrance.

“Give me a break…” She tried to slip past him, a wobbly smile plastered onto her face. “I just need to take a leak.”

Oluo sneered slightly. “No way-anyone can see what you’re trying to pull.” He clamped a hand down onto her shoulder, steering her back towards the track. “Come on!”

She cast him a sidelong glance, allowing herself to be pushed along for a second. She looked at the assumed expression on his face, the part of his hair…the funny white cloth at his neck. Skidding to a halt, she tilted her head, placing a hand on his shoulder in turn and leant in, face expressionless.

“You can do so much better.” She whispered.

His mouth fell open. Wrenching him round, she rammed her knee into his torso and hooked a foot round his leg, pulling it from beneath him. He crashed to the ground, cursing. Gunther swore and rushed towards her. “Hey! What are you-?!”

She caught him by the shoulder and threw him over her back, tearing through the entrance.

“Sorry lads. Really need to take a piss.”

She raced forward only to judder to a halt at the sight of a now, all too familiar figure. _Damn!_ She half-turned to flee but Oluo and Gunther were already moving towards her, faces like thunder. The captain cast a glance at the two maimed soldiers then looked to her in contempt. “What are you playing at now?”

She swallowed then scowled. “I just want to find the bloody john.”

Levi stared, faintly quizzical- _what?_ He gave a short shake of his head, turning away from her with a slight raise of his hand.

“ _Perhaps I neglected to mention_ or you’re thicker than I thought- we do not assault fellow comrades-I’ll leave these two highly valuable soldiers that you’ve just injured to decide punishments they see fit.”  

Gunther came round to face her, a smirking Oluo at his side. He looked at the surly, tired expression on her face. “Nah-I’m good.” He stepped back, passing a hand over his neck. “She didn’t do anything to hurt _me._ ” His throbbing back said otherwise. “Can’t say the same for you though, Oluo. She got you right in the-”

“Well!” The other scowled. “Since you’ve decided to go soft, I’ll make sure I dish out enough punishment for two.”

Gunther shrugged and strode away. Oluo turned back to Nina. “Right, _rookie_! When I’m done with you, you’ll wish you-hey!?”

She stood, slightly hunched into herself, breathing slow and measured. Oluo gawped at her for a moment then jabbed an indignant finger into her head. “Oi!-listen when you’re being addressed-!”

He was cut short as she grabbed his collar, knocking his hand away. “Hey…” She looked up blearily, mumbling. “Enough with the paws, already…next person to touch me I’ll…I’ll…” Her head flopped forward again, body slack in exhaustion. Oluo felt a ridiculous fury rise in him. He slammed his palms together next to her ear. “You little shit!”

Her head snapped up, eyes spitting. “Shut up!” She roared.

Sputtering, he glared suddenly seized by an intense desire to stamp his feet. This girl needed an hour’s flogging…then a week of manual labour. Nina scratched her head, too tired to work up a full temper. _Now, I’m too awake…_ She looked at the man fuming in front of her, cravat fluttering in the evening breeze. It wasn’t just that, his whole vibe emulated the captain’s, albeit not very successfully. Why did he want to be so like _him_ …?

Other than his strength, she couldn’t for the life of her understand what else there was to like about that man. She watched as several soldiers moved past them carrying logs of wood and branches. “Hey, what’s that for?”

Oluo broke out of his reverie of furious muttering- “They’re having a campfire-new recruit’s ritual.” He sniffed, watching her eyes light up.

 _Fire…_ She rubbed her numb hands together. And they’re using _wood._

A wicked smile crept into the corners of his mouth. “One which you won’t be attending.” He felt an absurd amount of satisfaction fill him as her face fell. _This_ …this was better than any amount of community service-

She rushed to him and gripped his arms and he started, drawing back in surprise. “H-hey!”

She gazed up at him, eyes blank in desperation. “Please? My bad, ok? I just couldn’t do anymore of that stuff-I was this close to clocking out- I’ve had it pretty rough lately, wouldn’t you say?”

Oluo felt himself grow hot with embarrassment. Her tone was becoming increasingly pleading. He could feel the ice of her fingers through his shirt and he realised then how cold she was.

“Get out of here.” He growled.

She grinned, springing back with new-found zeal. “Thanks, I owe you one…um…...yeah!” And she tore off.

He blinked. _Don’t tell me she’s forgotten my name already._ He felt himself bristle again. _That little…_

She raced towards the growing pile of fodder. _Oluo Bossard, huh_ …a man who had devoted himself to _that guy._ From what she’d heard there were three others that he kept close to him-what kind of people were they to be chosen? She couldn’t decide whether they’d lucked out or they had gotten the short end. Ah well… _that wasn’t her problem._

 

The flames surged high in to the night air, fat and crackling. She crouched at its edge, a little too close, fingers fanned out towards the heat. Two girls sat a little off from where she was huddled, one tiny, smaller than her, and golden-haired. The other cast her an inscrutable glance then turned her back to her, handing a skewer to the blonde girl. 

A strapping, broad-shouldered boy with close-cropped blond hair came and flopped down near her. “So,” He cracked a wide smile. “How was the first day?”

She blinked. “Shit.”

He laughed. “It’s only going to get worse-I can’t believe you’ve never done anything like this…Nina, is it?”

“Yeah, and you are?”

He grinned. “Reiner.” 

“Well, you’re not dead yet.” Another boy came and crouched down by the fire. He looked at her warily.

The first boy grinned. “She’s just gotten started, Jean- today was nothing. I don’t know what the captain was thinking but what we did was barely cadet material-if we’re going outside the walls he’d better up it.”

Jean turned to her. “Word’s going around that you’re from two thousand years ago…” He frowned.

She sat back on her haunches. “Hard to believe?”

He sighed. “Normally, yes-I’d think you’re crazy but looking at you…” She raised an eyebrow, “-and with all that’s been happening, it’s barely a surprise.”

“Reiner, I-” Another taller recruit arrived holding a fire iron . He paused at the sight of Nina, throwing her a guarded look before sitting next to Reiner without another word.

“Nice, Bert.” Reiner took the poker from him, stirring up the coals.

There was a muffled slam, as a large, wrought pot was thrown onto the ground near her. Nina looked up to see the dark-haired girl from before, a sack of vegetables in the crook of her arm.

“You’re in the way.” She murmured, letting the sack slide down. Nina shuffled back, head cocked. Eren and another boy were not far behind, arms laden with bowls and spoons. 

The girl turned away from her. “Armin, the water?”

The boy looked behind him. “Ah-Sasha, Connie! Hurry it up!”

“Right!” The two came into view, lugging a large, sloshing tankard. Nina felt her eyes widen. _All of that…_

“Mikasa, can you-?”

The girl moved to help the boy they called Armin heave a large hob over the open flames. The pot was shoved on, Connie and Sasha hurrying forward to tip the cooking water inside. Nina watched the girl begin cutting vegetables. _Mikasa._

Her hands moved at lightning speed, quickly raking the chopped vegetables into the now boiling pot. It wasn’t long before all were diced and she set the board aside, wiping her hands on a rag before going to sit near Eren.

Nina frowned. _What…that’s it? No seasoning?_ Her brows raised in spite of herself. “Don’t tell me you’re eating that?”

They broke from their chatter to look at her quizzically. “What do you mean?” Sasha sat up faintly indignant. “That’s good, fresh produce!”

Nina scrambled forward, flicking open a pocket in her belt. Connie started. “Hey! What are you-”

“It’s alright.” Mikasa was watching her carefully. “Let her.”

Nina dug out a couple of small containers. Opening one, she stuck her finger then licked it pensively. _Still good…_ Well, it should be- _she_ was, after all. She peered into the bubbling pot, then tipped the entire contents of the container in. _Can’t believe they weren’t gonna use salt…_

“You don’t think that’s poison, do you…?”

“Nah...

"Come on…”

“It’s fine, we’ll make her eat first.”

The second bottle held a cardamon and cumin blend. She coughed slightly as she opened it. _This is the extra-concentrated variety_ -potent stuff…she sifted in only a quarter. A packet of aniseed was ripped open, followed by powdered ginger, garlic, nutmeg, cloves.

They stirred, murmuring in suspicion, curiosity. A sharp, poignant aroma began to steal into their airways, savoury notes filling their throats and nostrils.

“Woah…”

“What _is_ that?”

“The heck…that smells good.”

“What the…? Amazing...”

She grabbed a nearby ladle, stirring the boiling contents. Connie looked worriedly at a suddenly jittery Sasha next to him. “Er, Sasha…”

“Hey Connie,” She shoved a fist into her mouth, eyes wild. “Have you ever, in your entire existence...smelt anything more heavenly than this-Connie-!” She caught his shoulders, fingers digging into his collarbone. “Connie…if I get to eat whatever’s in that pot and die tonight, I’ll be happy, Connie-Connie? What’s wrong, don’t you want some too?”

“Ah-! Yeah!” He pried her off, swallowing. This wasn’t looking good

After ten or so minutes of simmering and the rise and fall of low muttering, Nina stood up, shaking drops of condensation from her curls. “It’s done.”

Connie leapt onto Sasha, gritting his teeth as her elbow slammed into his chin. “Quick, everyone get your fill!” He bent her into a headlock, supressing a yelp as he felt her teeth graze his fingers. “I don’t think-woah! -I can hold her for long-!”

They beat down their qualms, scrambling to fill their bowls. Sasha finally broke free, leaping onto the pot and sticking her head in, only just yanked back by Mikasa who shoved a bowl to her chest. “Use this.”

They sat eating in ravenous silence, flavours wondrous and alien bursting on their tongues. No one spoke until the last spoon had clattered to a stop. Nina sat watching them, back against the cauldron’s side, its dying warmth seeping into her shoulder blades. A smaller fire had been kindled at the centre, the two girls she’d seen at the beginning now sitting with the others.

“So…why are you here?” Jean tossed down his bowl, dragging a sleeve over his mouth.

Nina lifted her drooping lids. “Where should I be?”

“You could’ve gotten out…you didn’t have to join.” His eyes widened in spite of himself. “Are you mad?”

Her lids lowered once more, eyes glowing in the flames. “Sorry _kid._ But back home we didn’t sit around behind shitty walls waiting for a titan to come looking. That-” She sat up. “-that’s the true reason why the humans have failed. Because you loll around like sitting ducks until titans come and smash everything to pieces. This thing-the Survey Corps is all you’ve got to redeem yourselves-what I don’t get is why everyone hasn’t joined. How much quicker do you think it would’ve been…?” She swallowed hard. “This is all you’ve got left? You don’t even know where you are…what have you been doing…all this time-why…why did you let it get it this bad…?”

They looked at her, frozen, stunned, like she was crazy.

“But the titans…they’re awful…”

“They’re monsters…what’s wrong with you-”

“They snatch us like tooth picks.”

“And devour us…”

_Hadn’t she seen…? How the titans eat humans…?_

“They’re evil…” Sasha mumbled into the spoon in her mouth.

Nina closed her eyes. “Yes. Yes they are.” To her surprise her voice had softened, “But doesn’t that make it even more important-? That we wipe them out? That huge titan that broke the second wall-there’s no reason why it can’t smash right through to the last one-in fact I’m surprised it didn’t.”

“She’s right.” Reiner sat up. “Next time it could come and destroy everything.” His brow furrowed. “And we can’t let that happen.”

She nodded. “But that’s what you guys are doing now, right? This place is so odd…people probably think you’re insane but you’re the ones who’ve got their heads screwed on right.’ She grinned suddenly, eyes blazing, “You’ve got this…” Their eyes turned to her uncertain, worried but no one contradicted her. It was on all their faces – _We don’t have a choice._

 _They don’t have the technology we did and there are more titans than before…at least from what I’ve seen…_ She looked at them with newfound incredulity… _Aren’t they just kids…?_

_But so were you…so were you…_

“Yeah.” Eren leant forward, intent. “What did your people do? How did they fight?”

“Hey, is it true?” Connie scratched the side of his head. “You went inside a titan?”

“That wasn’t a joke?”

“What the-?!”

“No way!”

She drew back from their stupefied, curious faces. “Uh…look, we all did that back home. It really isn’t-” She watched as Sasha inched away from her, spoon still firmly clasped in her cheek. “-anything special…”

“Wow…that sounds crazy but theoretically...not a bad technique.” Armin had is hands clasped in front of him, face thoughtful. “Where you were from…it wasn’t like here, was it?”

“Not half. No water for miles for a start.”

His eyes widened. “No water…did you by any chance live somewhere....where there was only sand as far as you could see?”

“It’s called a desert.”

Armin clutched his knees, eyes shining. Eren shifted beside him. “Plains of sand…”

She’d seen it – one of the wonders of the earth. In that moment she sat huddled against the night’s cool, the absolute epitome of everything they’d ever dreamed of.

“You know…” Her voice was distant. “We almost had them…we were this close.” Her throat snagged. _What? A few more years...?_ And they would’ve wiped the demons out… _surely-?_

“We can do it again.” Eren clenched his fists. “I’m sure of it.”

She looked at him in dim astonishment. _We?_

He coughed and began to pick at some blades of grass. “Still, I could barely deal waiting five years…can’t imagine waking up after two thousand year to the same shitty situation-”

“It’s not the same.” She pulled her chin from her knees. _W-what…what was she saying?_ “There’s you-you’re different.” Her mind flashed back to his titan “-and you guys and this thing, the Corps-we never once tried to learn about them-there was none of this but now-” She dipped her thumb in the stew and leant towards Eren, smearing upwards from the centre of his brow.

He blinked. “Huh.”

“You’re the crimson hunter.” She flicked him between the eyes as she sat back, hiding her grin.

“What-”

“Huh, what’s she-”

“Nina-”

“-that’s weird.” They laughed softly, scooping up cutlery as they began to rise to their feet. She looked around her, at their bustling figures moving in and out of the firelight and for a moment she couldn’t speak. So she buried her face into her knees and looked out at the dying embers.

It wasn’t until a tug on her elbow and the biting cold of the night that she looked up to find Sasha beckoning to her to come inside-they had an early start tomorrow. She followed wordlessly, the ground like foam beneath her feet.

Upon reaching the dormitory, she stopped. “Hey, I need-I’m just gonna-”

The small, blonde girl smiled at her, face sympathetic. “Bathrooms are down the hall and left. Right door’s the girls’”

Nina nodded silently, drawing her cloak tight around her as she moved away. She found them soon enough and stuck her head round the door, nose wrinkling at the long bench with holes bored into them at each wall. _No bloody way…_

“I see you found the shitters.” She turned to see Reiner walking towards her, hand behind his head. “Uh-toilets, I mean-my bad-” He paused, exhaling deeply.

“Yeah…I think I’m good.” She made to move past him, frowning at the expression on his face. A single bead of sweat trickled down his temple- _the hell…it’s freezing._

“Don’t you want to go home?” She spun round to find his eyes locked with hers. “How can you stand it, here?”

A jolt passed through her– she was speechless. _Home? There…there isn’t a second of the day…where I don’t wish-_

“Well, how am I supposed to do that?”

He snapped as if from a dream. “Yes, yes…Oh, God…sorry, I just-Goodnight.” He turned away from her and hurried down the hall, a hand over his eyes.

She watched him disappear into the gloom-her head felt light. After a moment’s hesitation, she slipped back into the bathroom. She’d drunk a crazy amount of water today.

A whole four cups.

 

“Pick up the pace.” Levi stopped just beyond the drill enclosure’s opening. Nina was positioned on the ground, doing press-ups. Barely.

She lifted her head, wincing. “Well, you’re no motivation. Leave already.”

“Hmph-if it’s motivation you want-”He strode forward, waiting until she was on the incline before quickly slotting the handle of a small knife into the earth below her. “That should keep you going for a while.”

Her eyes flew open. “You’ve got to be-”

“Ten more rounds of this routine and you can clock out for now-we’re upping the main training.” He rose to walk away. “And return the knife. In pristine condition.”

_He’s a psycho. A nutter…_

She gritted her teeth. _I could just move along. What makes him think I won’t just move along_? Painstakingly, she lowered herself down- _why can’t I just move along-_  “Damn it!” Her wrists shook.

 _Because that would make you a loser, a whiny little shit that takes the easy way out_. Her breath ripped through her- _and that’s the last thing I’m gonna be... not in front of that Lilliputian…_ “Huh…” Her elbows juddered. “Why am I remembering that now…?”

It was a book…one her father had read to her. _The man who went to the land of the tiny people-_ She dragged herself up- _then the land of the big people…the giants…_

 

“Levi give her a break already.” A waiting Hange folded her arms as they began to walk stable-ward.

“Huh?”

“What’s the point in driving her so hard-? She’ll just get frustrated.”

“No-she’s done twice as many reps as her first drill. You saw that girl fight didn’t you?”

“Oh yes.”

“She’s absolutely ridiculous-a true maniac. Her style of combat’s never been seen before. Tell me, how many of our soldiers are willing to leap into a titan’s mouth for the kill?”

“Yeah…that’s true…”

“Right now the survey corps needs people like that, like Eren, like the Ackerman girl-”

“Mikasa?”

‘Garrison reports spoke of her very highly – a rising talent, _apparently_.”

“But if Nina’s so great why does she need this?”

“What’s holding her back is stamina. For all her strength, she’s as good as useless after eliminating a few titans- I bet she’s never once in her life undergone any sort of proper training-" He frowned. "She’s got potential for more.”

“So put her through drills?”

“Put her through drills.”

“I wonder, how did she survive back then if she was drained after a few kills?”

“Beats me.”

“Well, being sealed in crystal for two thousand years is hardly gonna have her bouncing…hey…maybe it’s that! The orb’s weakened her…then that would explain-” 

He tuned out of her chatter as they walked, eyes trained firmly straight ahead.  _She’s really taken to her_ – a faint line of irritation ran down his back.

“If you think about it-she’s been awfully sleepy ever since she came out that thing-of course we don’t know what she was like before, but it’s a safe bet that the crystal’s done something to her body…it must’ve been something like hibernation…”

“Right.” He quickened his pace.

“She took you by surprise, didn’t she?”

He looked at her sideways. “Hmm?”

“Back then.”

“What are you talking about?” He walked ahead. Shitty glasses hadn’t even been there- _had she?_   What did she know?

But he couldn’t feign ignorance when facing himself. That _had_ been unexpected and he would not pretend otherwise. He could see now why Erwin had wanted her…why the first thing he ever said to her was-

_Follow me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're enjoying the story so far, be sure to comment with any questions/ (constructive) criticism/ anything you like :) ~.  
> Have a nice day! ❀

**Author's Note:**

> Hey :)
> 
> So this is the start of something looong and something i hope i don't regret lol. I've been wondering, like loads of people, what happened to the rest of the world? And where did the titans come from? What is this pit of all organic matter? Who were the Marleys? and all that good stuff. So here, i'll try and answer those questions in a completely fictional but hopefully convincing fashion.
> 
> I also kept on thinking- what if a total, complete alien was thrown into the snk world? Someone from outside the walls of a radically different ethnic and cultural background-how would they cope/ interact? (i know there's Mikasa, bless her, but she and the other few Asians have always been in the walls and she seems pretty integrated to me...). The thought wouldn't leave my head and so Nina Were was born. So yeah this is the second 'volume', for lack of a better word and really sets the scene for the rest to come.
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> Desertbloom ❀
> 
> PS: THIS IS PART 2-for the backstory read the first part of the series, Shingeki no Kyojin: Desert Bloom (I strongly recommend you do...)
> 
> My tumblr: https://desertbl00m.tumblr.com/ Nina's blog: https://ignaeflos.tumblr.com/  
> x


End file.
